Fugitive Guardian Beast Seeks Experienced Cardcaptor
by TheGuineapig3
Summary: HELP WANTED: Fugitive guardian beast seeking the Master of the Clow Cards to settle a centuries-old feud and meld two opposing magic systems into one. Magical powers and sealing wand required, detailed knowledge of Clow Reed's past preferred. Card-capturing experience a must. Inquire within. [Post manga; non-Clear Card continuity]
1. Sakura and the Souvenir

_To celebrate the new anime, I've decided to finally go forward in posting this fanfic. It's a collaboration between my brother and myself, and it's been in the works for over a decade- since we were kids watching the original series. It has changed and developed from how it started out, but I think it still retains that sense of childlike inspiration that gets lost when a writer develops worry over how harshly the internet might judge their work. That being said, I hope that some people will have fun reading the innocent imaginings of a couple of kids who loved and still love Cardcaptor Sakura. As with all my fics, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **1- Sakura and the Souvenir**

 _Time is a thing no one can truly gain or lose; it can only be borrowed and returned._

The ding of a timer sounded from the kitchen, and within a few minutes Nakuru emerged with a loaf pan, holding it triumphantly over her head.

"Everyone! Ruby Moon's signature pumpkin bread, version two, is ready. Come try some while it's hot!"

The library had been silent beforehand, so Nakuru's outburst grabbed everyone's attention. Kaho and Spinel looked up from the books they were reading, Kaho with a curious smile and Spinel with a look of disdain.

"More pumpkin bread? Really? It's not even September yet. You should focus on your summer recipes while you still have the chance."

Nakuru shook her head as she approached him. "Come on now, Suppi. My strawberry french toast is a hit with all our guests. I have to prepare something equally impressive once local strawberries go out of season- and foreigners are crazy about pumpkin!" She held the pan in front of him, wafting the steam in his direction. "Doesn't that smell good? Don't you want to try just a bite~?"

There was a moment in which Spinel's calm demeanor seemed to falter, and Nakuru grinned in anticipation. However, Kaho stood up and approached the two, tapping Nakuru on the shoulder.

"Don't tease him so. I'll try a slice, if you would."

Nakuru stood up straight again, her smile not wavering. "One slice for Kaho, coming right up! Eriol, do you want a piece too?"

This was the first time that Eriol's name had been spoken, and it seemed to surprise him. He had been sitting in his favorite chair, turned toward the window, a blank stare directed at the twilit landscape. "Oh, I- ah, yes. Thank you, Nakuru. Slice one for me as well."

Nakuru and Kaho disappeared back into the kitchen, but Spinel stayed behind where he was, scrutinizing his master's expression. "Something wrong, Eriol?" he asked. "You appear distracted."

"Distracted. I suppose that's one way to put it." Eriol sighed and removed his glasses to clean them. "I've been picking up a strange sort of energy, and it's only been getting stronger as the evening has worn on. It feels intimately familiar, but I can't place it. I've scoured all of Clow's memories, but I don't possess any that identify the source of this power."

Spinel thought the statement over for a moment. "Is it possible that it's a power that you have encountered in _this_ lifetime?"

"Not that I'm aware. But if it isn't something I've encountered, and it isn't present in Clow Reed's memories, I don't know how it could possibly feel so familiar."

"It might be from a part of Clow's past that you've suppressed or even didn't receive in the first place." Spinel closed his book and floated over to Eriol's chair, landing on the arm. "Does it feel malevolent?"

Eriol gave a nod. "Very."

"Is it, perhaps, the malevolence you've been sensing in your dreams? The one that brought you back to this house?"

This time Eriol didn't say anything. He just nodded.

Before Spinel could say anything more, Nakuru and Kaho returned to the room with slices of pumpkin bread arranged on a plate. Kaho was already munching on one, and so Nakuru offered the plate to Eriol. "Tell me what you think! Be critical- I want to improve my recipe!"

"Ah, that's…" Eriol stared at the plate for a few seconds before he finally reached out and took a slice. And even then, he stared at it rather than eating it. Kaho stepped forward, reaching out to him with her free hand.

"Is something the matter, Eriol?"

He sighed and set the bread back on the plate. "I apologize for making you worry. But I'm afraid that evil I've sensed in my dreams has finally made the leap to the real world."

"You mean…" Kaho began, "…the dreams that prompted your return to Tomoeda?"

"Yes. It would seem Sakura is in danger."

"B-but Sakura-chan isn't even here!" Nakuru protested. "She and Touya went abroad for the week! They're not supposed to return until the 31st!"

"It is the 31st," Spinel spoke up.

The room went quiet.

"W-we…" Nakuru spun around on her heels. "…we have to warn Sakura-chan!"

"Let's not get carried away," Eriol finally began again, reaching for his slice of pumpkin bread. "Prophetic dreams rarely tell the whole story. When I split my power, I gave up the ability to view the future clearly. It wouldn't do to frighten Sakura when we aren't even sure what the danger is. While I don't know how or why, I feel intensely familiar with this malevolence. I will spend tomorrow going through Clow's library and writings to see if there's anything that might shed light on the source of the power."

Kaho nodded. "Shall I close the library to guests for tomorrow, then?"

"No need. Everyone is checking out tomorrow morning except for the Australian couple, and they're meeting a private driver for their full-day guided tour at six."

"Oh, that's right!" Nakuru gasped. "I have to make a special early breakfast for them. I'd better make sure I have everything before the stores close!"

Spinel sighed. "Such a scatterbrain."

"Oh, Suppi! Like you do anything to help out around here."

"I was created as a magical guardian. Not a hospitality employee."

"So was I, but-"

Eriol cleared his throat loudly to capture their attention. "This pumpkin bread is wonderful, Nakuru. But might I suggest not using dark chocolate next time? It overpowers the pumpkin flavor. How about reducing the sugar in the bread and using milk chocolate. That way the chocolate can sweeten the bread and the pumpkin flavor will better come through."

"Oh! What a good idea!" Nakuru chimed, bounding back toward the kitchen. "I'll try that next time!"

Kaho laughed as she watched the girl disappear around the corner. "I'll look over the registration books so that everything will be in order for the guests checking out tomorrow. Can you take care of the laundry tonight, Eriol, or would that only stress you out further?"

Eriol shook his head. "Actually, I think it would be good to get my mind off things for a while. I'll be happy to do the laundry."

Once Kaho had left as well, Spinel returned to his earlier spot and opened his book again. "Eriol," he spoke, "are you sure turning Clow's old home into a bed-and-breakfast is really what he would have wanted?"

"I'm sure." Eriol offered a nod. "Clow Reed was a lonely man. Filling his house with friendly people is the best way to honor him, I think."

"And what of Sakura?"

There was a pause. Eriol let out a long sigh.

"Sakura's magic has grown stronger over the years. We'll stay aware of the threat and monitor it. But… it's possible this is something she must face on her own."

* * *

 _Time is a thing no one can truly gain or lose; it can only be borrowed and returned._

Those words echoed through Sakura's mind as she pulled herself wearily up the steps, each one feeling a greater strain on her aching feet. Her mind buzzed with the static feedback of one who'd been awake for far too many hours, and her sore shoulders cried out to be relieved of their heavy load.

Jet lag was not fun in any sense of the word.

The relief of entering her room was that she could drop her luggage anywhere she chose and fall face-first onto her own bed. She could've laid there for days, it felt like, but it was only a few moments before the music and sound effects on the gaming system came to an abrupt pause and Sakura was greeted with a familiar, friendly voice.

"Sakuraaaa! How was Greece?"

She pulled a pillow over her face. "Greece? Wonderful. The ride home? Not so much. I feel like I could sleep for days."

"Tough red-eye, huh?" Kero perched on one of the bedposts.

"It's not like we had much of a choice. A flight from Athens to Tokyo is all day and night."

"How much time did you lose?"

"Six hours."

"Yikes. So it's, like, three in the afternoon for you right now?"

Sakura wearily pulled herself to her feet and unzipped her clothing bag, beginning to pull out all of its contents and deposit them in the laundry bin. "I never did quite get acclimated to Greek time. We were only there for five days."

"Did you see anything interesting?" Kero fluttered down to sit beside her.

"I guess so. Dad's dig site was just a lot of dirt and rocks- they didn't find anything too exciting while they were there, so he's probably going to return later in the fall."

"What?" Kero blinked. "I thought all paleontology digs were exciting."

" _Archeology_. And, no, not really." Sakura balled up one last tee-shirt and tossed it basketball style into the bin with the other clothes. "But Tomoyo and I got to do some shopping, at least."

Kero's eyes lit up. "Did you bring me any treats?"

"Only airport stuff. We didn't want the hassle of bringing outside food through customs." It only took a few moments for Sakura to produce a box of desserts from her backpack. "Sorry it's a little smushed. The economy seats were pretty cramped."

"Hooray! Chocolate is chocolate, no matter what it looks like!" Kero didn't seem to mind, snatching up the box and flying it triumphantly back to his drawer. Sakura, meanwhile, pushed her empty bag next to the closet and dug her phone out of her pocket. Kero, though busy stuffing his face, took notice. "Who're you texting at this time of night?"

"Syaoran." she answered, swinging her legs back and forth from her perch on the side of the bed. "He wanted me to text him when I got home just to let him know I was safe."

"Alright. Carry on."

Sakura giggled and continued typing. [Nice to be back in Tomoeda. Kero-chan is stuffing his face with souvenirs, haha.]

The […] appeared almost instantly, and then disappeared, as if Syaoran didn't want his girlfriend to know that he'd been waiting by the phone expecting her text. He did that a lot, it seemed.

[Glad you're back. Hope you had a good trip.] It was a short and sweet reply, then followed with [Did Kero even say "hi" to you?]

[Yes, he did just barely] Sakura typed back. [How was the rest of your summer break?]

[Pretty average compared to you. Practicing with drama club and doing homework.]

"HOMEWORK!" Sakura blurted out, and then dropped her phone on her bed as she quickly covered her mouth. "I mean… oh no."

"What's the matter?" Kero looked up from his treats. "You leave your homework in Greece?"

"No." Sakura fell back onto the bed. "I forgot to do it."

"That's not good. The new school term starts tomorrow, doesn't it?"

"Yeah…" Sakura gripped her pillow in frustration. "And I can't forget my homework. Ms. Suzuki will make me stay after class, and I can't stay after class because I have cheerleading practice, and I already missed two practices while I was in Greece."

"Bummer. You have time to do it now, don't you? You pulled this stunt all through junior high, waiting until the last night…" Kero had now finished all of the desserts in the box and was massaging a full tummy.

"But my brain is fried from being awake for so long. I can hardly think straight, let alone do algebra."

"Then sleep first and get up super-extra early to do your homework." Kero suggested.

"Not a bad idea." Sakura reached for her alarm clock. "If I set it for 2:30, that'll give me enough time to get everything done, and eat breakfast before school."

"That's my girl. Who says procrastination is a sign of bad time-management?"

Sakura picked up her phone again, suddenly remembering her neglected conversation. [Sorry, gotta sleep now. I'll see you tomorrow. ]

[Okay, good night.]

With a regional tournament coming up in a few weeks, Sakura was not going to let a little jet lag get in the way of cheerleading practice, that was for sure. She grabbed her backpack and started digging through it in an attempt to find the packet of homework that had been shoved to the bottom. "I took it with me thinking I was going to do it while I was in Greece… that's a laugh, right?"

Kero was quiet, though he was watching her the whole time.

"…Kero-chan? Something wrong?"

"What've you got in that backpack?" he asked quietly.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "What? No more food, if that's what you're wondering."

"That's not what I was talking about. Don't you feel that… energy?"

"I don't have anything special in here. Just some random souvenirs and electronics… the battery on my laptop is about dead, and, uh…"

"I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just confused." Kero shook his head. "You've been gone for a few days- I guess having you and the Sakura Cards back all of a sudden is making my senses go haywire."

"…okay. If you're sure that's all it is, I won't worry." Sakura shrugged and tossed the backpack to the side of the room, beginning to shuffle through the papers. She paused a moment as she set the packet down on her desk. "Actually, there was…"

"Huh?"

"Er, nevermind. I'll ask you about it after school tomorrow."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, of course. I'm not worried. It's just some old book I picked up in a used bookshop. I thought it was cool, but I doubt it's anything serious."

Kero shrugged his shoulders. "You're the magician here, not me. If you say it's nothing to worry about, I'll trust your judgment." He then laughed. "It's probably just got a ghost attached to it!"

The backpack stayed downstairs while she slept that night.

* * *

Sakura wasn't used to being the first one in the classroom. She usually was the one running late, barely making it into the room before the teacher in the mornings. Having to leave right after class to get to cheerleading practice meant that the only time Sakura saw an empty room was when she had to stay after for clean-up. Naturally, she didn't like the feeling.

"Hey. You're here early."

Sakura's eyes shot up from the book she was reading. "Syaoran!" She eagerly ran up to him and embraced him tightly. "It's so good to be back! Thanks for texting me last night- I don't think I would've remembered to do my homework otherwise."

"You forgot again?" Syaoran walked with her back to the bunch of desks where their group sat. "I thought you said that you were going to turn over a new leaf for your first year of high school."

"I know, I know…" she sighed sadly. "This trip made for extenuating circumstances."

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "So, how late did you stay up last night? Obviously you didn't go to sleep when you texted me you were going to."

"Actually, I did. I woke up at two-thirty this morning." Sakura yawned. "At least I got a decent breakfast."

"You have the worst sleep schedule of any athlete I know."

"Hey!"

Syaoran shook his head and sighed. "I was really worried about you last night, y'know."

"Why were you worried?" Sakura sat down on her chair and swung her legs back and forth. "Airplane accidents are really rare. Almost all flights take off and land just fine."

"It wasn't the airplane. I felt something strange."

"Strange…? Like what?"

Syaoran sat down at his desk and started pulling books out of his bag. "I don't know. It was a strange sort of foreboding, almost as if something evil was descending upon the city. I thought it might be coming with you."

"Something evil? I don't have anything like that." Sakura shook her head. "I picked up an old book from a store in Athens, but it doesn't seem like it would be evil. Kero-chan thinks it has a ghost attached to it. Is that what you're maybe sensing?"

"No. This was not a ghost." Syaoran insisted. "This was-"

"Hey! You do exorcisms, right?"

"Huh?" Syaoran blinked. "Yeah, but why? You want me to-"

Sakura clung to him in desperation. "Please-please-please, I just can't have a ghost in my house! You've gotta help me! Kero-chan says that there might be one attached to the book I brought back from Greece."

"W-well… Greece has a lot of history…" Syaoran stammered, a blush coloring his cheeks. "I guess I could… l-look at it and-"

" _You there! School code of conduct section 36: public displays of affection! Please keep ten centimeters away from the opposite gender at all times!_ "

Sakura abruptly let go of Syaoran's waist and scooted her chair back. "Y-Yamazaki-kun! We were just-"

"Give it a rest, Takashi. No one wants to hear it." The girl next to him grabbed ahold of his ear and tugged hard. She spoke then to the rest of the group. "How were your summer vacations, guys? I heard you went abroad, Sakura-chan!"

"Ow, ow! Ten centimeters, Chiharu, ten centimeters!"

"Oh, Tomoyo and I had a good time…" Sakura murmured, feeling a little sorry for Yamazaki. "…y'know, saw a lot of old stuff."

"Old stuff is cool." Chiharu replied cheerfully, giving Yamazaki a much-needed respite. "There's definitely a lot of old things in Greece-"

"The ancient Greeks!" Yamazaki piped up, and Chiharu rolled her eyes.

"Here we go…"

"Did you know that, in ancient Greece, being a barber was a highly respected and esteemed profession?"

"H-huh?" Sakura stammered.

"Yes! Back in ancient Greece, the style of a man's beard was a status symbol. Barbers worked hard creating elaborate designs for their clients." Yamazaki continued speaking as Chiharu roped an arm around his neck and began to drag him out into the hallway. "In fact, the practice of having your beard styled by a professional was so popular that barber shops in ancient Greece became social venues for friends to-"

The classroom door slammed shut behind them. There was a pause.

"I didn't know that." Sakura stammered.

"Yeah, well… you, uh, had a ghost problem?"

"Right, the ghost!" Sakura gasped. "I have a cheerleading club meeting after school today, but will you come to my house afterward and exorcise the ghost?"

"Sure. I can meet you after my drama club meeting. If it's a weak ghost, it shouldn't be too difficult to get rid of-"

"Ghostbusting? Count me in!"

Sakura and Syaoran jumped. "Tomoyo-chan!"

"Oh, I can just see it! The perfect footage for a summer horror flick starring our beautiful Sakura-chan! An evil ghost has taken up residence in her schoolbooks. Who ya' gonna call? Syaoran Li!"

"Ghostbusters… has literally nothing to do with proper exorcisms." Syaoran scratched his head in annoyance. "It's just for fun. Removal of ghosts is a serious deal that requires the proper rituals and respect."

"I don't care, as long as you get it out of my house." Sakura shivered. "Tomoyo, do you want to come too? We're meeting after club practice tonight and going to my house. Dad is going to be out late in a meeting about the trip, so I'd love to have company for dinner."

"Sounds great to me!" Tomoyo chimed. "I'll text my mom and tell her not to send the van to pick me up after choir rehearsal."

"Hooray!" Sakura clapped her hands. "This will be fun. I look forward to making dinner for yo-"

"-that the importance to the barbershop in ancient Greek culture rivaled even the famed Agora-"

"Takashi, just stop. No one cares."

Tomoyo looked toward the back of the classroom where the commotion was going on. "What's he talking about this time?"

"Don't worry about it." Sakura shook her head.

* * *

"Dinner's ready. Thanks for waiting." Sakura leaned on the doorpost to the living room where Syaoran and Tomoyo were sitting on the couch, examining the book. "Did you find anything interesting?"

"I was telling him how we came across the book." Tomoyo replied. "How you bumped into the shelf and it fell on you-"

"That's only because you surprised me with your video camera!" Sakura pouted, leading her friends into the kitchen and directing them to the table. "I was startled, is all."

"The fact that the book itself seemed to choose you is concerning." Syaoran spoke as he sat down. "There's some sort of energy attached to the book, but I can't get a good read on it. It's not human, so it can't be a ghost, but I don't know what else it would be."

"So it's not a ghost?" Sakura's spoonful of soup stopped midway to her mouth. "Oh, thank goodness! That makes me feel better!"

"But then that means you can't exorcise it, right?" Tomoyo asked.

"Not until I know what it is." Syaoran shrugged. "Tomoyo-chan said that you couldn't open the lock on the outside."

"That's right." Sakura nodded. "That's what the book-seller told us. The book had been in the store for a long time because no one would buy it locked and without a key."

"You could try picking it with a hairpin, like they do in the movies. I'd want to film that for sure- beautiful secret-agent Sakura!"

Syaoran cleared his throat. "I checked the lock for an enchantment that might be preventing it from opening, but there wasn't one that I could tell. If we had the key, we could open it, but until then there's not much we can do. I'd love to stay, but if there's nothing more that I can do for the book, may I go home? I want to get a head-start on that history essay for next week, since the drama club is going to be practicing this weekend."

"I understand." Sakura waved a hand in his direction. "That's fine."

"Speaking of the drama club," Tomoyo spoke after she had finished the last of her rice. "did something big fall over during practice today? You know that the choir meets in the room underneath the drama club, and we heard a big clatter during one of our songs."

"Sorry, uh…" Syaoran scratched his head. "…one of the third-years got a little overzealous with his monologue today and flipped a desk."

"What was he reading?"

"Hamlet. That's the play we're doing in two months."

"Oh wow! What part are you playing?"

"I don't know yet. We're holding auditions next week. I'm a first-year so I probably won't get a big part, but…"

"Don't limit yourself, Syaoran-kun." Tomoyo offered. "You're a very talented actor. I'm sure you'll shine in whatever role you play."

"Th-thanks." he murmured to his empty soup bowl. "Sakura… before I go, can I get seconds?"

* * *

Sakura and Tomoyo retreated up the stairs to Sakura's room with the book in hand, trying to decide what to do. "Did you ask Kero-chan about it?" Tomoyo suggested. "If it's not a ghost, it must be something magical. And he's the one of us who knows the most about magical items."

"That's true." Sakura nodded, glancing down at the cover of the book. "I wonder if it has something to do with the picture on the front. We learned in school that foxes are featured in mythology all over the world. Maybe the fox in the picture is a-"

"SAKURAAA!"

Before she could finish the sentence, Kero burst out of the room towards the two of them with a big smile. Sakura jumped back with a gasp. "K-Kero-chan!"

"Now that the brat is gone, it must be time for my dessert! Riiight~?"

Sakura let out a groan, but Tomoyo giggled in amusement. "Kero-chan, we have something we need your help with. Will you take a look at this book we picked up in Greece?" She motioned to the book that Sakura had clutched in her arms.

"Oh, the ghost book, right? Yeah, I'll take a looksie." He returned to the room, settling onto the desk and offering a wink. "Only if it means I get my pudding afterward, of course."

"Of course," Sakura sighed. "So, the thing is, Syaoran said that this book doesn't have a ghost attached to it. The magical energy must be coming from something else, so… we wanted to ask you what it is." She placed the book on the desk, stepping back for him to examine it. He started toward it in interest, however, once he noticed the picture on the cover, he stopped immediately.

"…this? It's a pretty picture on the front, but I've never seen anything like this." Kero shook his head. "I can't say I feel anything from it anymore either. Sorry, but I don't think there's anything special about it at all."

Sakura frowned. "Are you sure? I definitely feel something."

"Can you look closer?" Tomoyo asked.

Kero-chan shrugged and laughed, his voice colored with a nervous tint. "What's the point if I've got pudding waiting for me downstairs? You put that book away and I'll get everybody's dessert. Be right back!"

Sakura and Tomoyo watched as he flew cheerfully out the door and down the hallway. Tomoyo picked up the book and held it out at arm's length, turning it back and forth the get a better view of the cover. "Did it seem like Kero-chan was acting kind of weird?"

"Yeah, he definitely said he felt the magic energy last night. Why would he suddenly change his mind?"

"I think the only way to find out for us to find out for sure is to open it."

There was a pause, and the two looked at each other.

"…should we…" Sakura began, "…find a locksmith?"

Tomoyo placed her head in one hand and sighed sadly. "You're just not thinking out of the box, Sakura. You've got to think like a magical girl."

"A magical girl, huh…?" Sakura thought it over for a moment, initially unsure of what to make of the statement. However, she noticed the warm power of her key nestled against the fabric her shirt. She reached out and pulled the chain from around her neck, holding out the Key of the Star in front of her. "You mean something like this?"

Tomoyo's eyes sparkled. "Sakura-chan, you genius! Hold on, let me get my camera in position. This is going to be good!"

"We have no idea if this is going to work or not-"

"Don't worry. I can fix it in editing. Now do your thing!"

Tomoyo handed her the book and Sakura steadied it the arm opposite the hand she held the key in. She had her doubts, but as soon as she touched the key to the edge of the book's lock, she could feel a shock of magical energy between the two of them and the key slid almost as if by a magnetic pull into the lock. She turned it, hearing a click from inside the mechanism, and feeling an emptying of power like a barrier being broken. Curious, she grabbed the edge of the cover and pulled the book open to look inside-

"Order up! Three puddings, fresh out of the-" Kero burst through the door, a cup of pudding in each hand and one balanced on his head. However, as soon as he caught sight of Sakura opening the book, he let out a loud yelp and all three pudding cups fell to the floor. "-WAIT, NO!"

It was too late. Sakura stared in wonder at the book in front of her. There was a cutout through the pages, just like the one in the Clow Book, and nestled inside was a deck of Stygian-colored cards with Greek text along the top and English lettering along the base. The words along the top card read THE NIGHTMARE, and the image showed a tall, cloaked figure. The image was static at first, but suddenly the character's somber expression changed and his mouth turned up into a toothy grin.

The top card lifted into the air, channeling a gust of wind around it that pulled the other cards with it. They flew around the room in a frenzy of magical energy, disappearing through the walls and ceiling one by one until all were gone. There was a quiet echo around them, words softly chanted under their breath.

" _WE'RE FREE. FINALLY FREE_."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room once all the cards had disappeared. Sakura dropped the book to the floor and looked back at Tomoyo, as if trying to confirm that they'd both seen the same thing. Tomoyo pointed to her video camera with a nod. There was no denying what she had just captured on film.

"No, no, no, NO!" Kero surrounded himself in his wings and appeared in his true form, slamming his paw down on the book. "Call Yue! Call Eriol! Call the brat, even- I don't care! This is an emergency and we need everyone we can get!"

"Wh-wh-what happened?" Sakura stammered. "All I did was open the book. The cards just acted on their own- I didn't even say anything!"

"You didn't need to," Kerberos replied. "Those cards have been waiting centuries for an opportunity like this." He frowned and turned to Tomoyo. "Would you turn that camera off? This is serious!"

Tomoyo lowered her camera, but didn't turn it off. "I don't understand. Where did those cards come from, and what are they-"

Before she could finish her question, the book under Kerberos' paw began to burst with light, and he pulled his leg away with a hiss of pain. From the light of the book emerged the figure of an enormous red fox, his amber coat glowing in the dim light of the room. Kerberos stepped back, raising his wings in front of Sakura and Tomoyo to protect them. Sakura pressed closer to Tomoyo and whispered "I have an awful feeling of deja-vu."

"…Kerberos?" a voice asked.

Kerberos narrowed his eyes and spoke with a growl.

" _Stephanos_."

There was a tense moment of silence. The two beasts stared at one another, neither willing to move. Finally, the fox spoke again.

"Keroberos! Oh, I'm so glad to see you! It's been decades- how've you been, old sport?"

The sudden cordiality in the fox's demeanor caught Sakura off-guard. It had the same effect on Kerberos, who flinched before speaking out in rage.

"How've I been? How've I _been_?! After everything that happened between us, all you have to say to me is how've I been?!"

The fox tilted his head with a confused look. He glanced over at Sakura and Tomoyo, and gently asked "did I hit a nerve?"

"OF COURSE YOU'VE HIT A NERVE!" Kerberos grabbed the book and held it up for the fox to see. "YOU'VE HIT ALL THE NERVES! LOOK AT THIS!"

A bright smile spread across the fox's face. "Oh! You've already taken the cards! Where did you put them?"

Kerberos tumbled to the floor. "Unbelievable! You haven't changed a bit! We have a real crisis on our hands, and all you can do is smile!"

Tomoyo placed a hand on Kerberos' wing and stepped forward. "Kero-chan," she began, "how do you two know each other?"

"This guy-" Kerberos began, however, he didn't get to finish his sentence. The fox approached Sakura, bowing respectfully.

"Where are my manners? I haven't even properly introduced myself- and to the Mistress of the Clow Cards, no less! I'm Stephanos, guardian beast of the Warp Cards. And you must be Sakura-sama, who awakened me from my slumber."

The introductions were still a little overwhelming, and Sakura took a moment to regain her composure. "Yes, that's right!" she finally responded. "I'm Sakura Kinomoto, master of the Sakura Cards. It's a pleasure to meet you, uh, Stephanos… but what are these Warp Cards you're talking about? Were they the cards from that book?"

"That is correct!" Stephanos hopped up on Sakura's bed, propping himself up on his hind legs and gesturing as he spoke. "The Warp Cards were created by my master, Warp Neon, in emulation of the world's greatest magician, Clow Reed! They are a powerful, maleficent force guided by evil and intent on destruction, and as a creature of benevolence, it is my duty to keep them confined so that the world may never enter a state of darkness… so to speak."

The room fell silent, except for a low beeping noise. Tomoyo spoke up, motioning to her camera. "I'm sorry, it looks like my microphone shut off there for a second. Can you repeat that _creature of benevolence_ part again?"

The triumphant expression on Stephanos' face fell, and he hopped back down from the bed so that he could approach Tomoyo. "What is this... _microphone_ you speak of?"

"Hey!" Kerberos yelped. "I thought I told you to turn that thing off!"

Tomoyo ignored him. "Oh, I have a professional boom mic attached to the top of my camera here, as well as an option to turn on the binaural microphones along the sides for stereo sound if needed. I'm thinking about investing in a 3D mic, but I'm not sure yet about the mounting capabilities, or if I'll need some kind of special software to run the-"

Stephanos interrupted her, pointing toward the camera. "I'm sorry, can I get the short version of what this thing does?"

"Oh, of course!" Tomoyo chimed. "It records and plays back the adventures of my wonderful Sakura-chan in real time with high-definition picture and stereo sound! See, here's the video of a few minutes ago, when she opened that book."

Stephanos was curious as he kept his eyes on the playback screen, but when Tomoyo pressed the button, the image on the screen showed Sakura opening the book and the cards flying out- all in beautiful 1080p. The expression on Stephanos' face turned very quickly from one of excitement to one of grim horror. Tomoyo, however, didn't notice.

"See? Isn't she the cutest?"

In response, Stephanos turned slowly back toward her. "Did… did that really happen?"

Sakura, Tomoyo, and Kerberos all nodded silently.

Stephanos paused, took a deep breath, and then quietly replied "excuse me while I panic."

His words were followed immediately by a sharp screech of terror.

* * *

A few minutes later Stephanos had finally calmed down, thanks in part to a damp cloth that Sakura had placed on his head and a track of "calming music for dogs" that Tomoyo had found online and played (once she'd done an internet search on foxes and determined that they were indeed canids and that the "calming music for cats" wasn't quite as applicable.) Kerberos stayed in his true form, a scowl on his face the entire time as he watched. Eventually, once the commotion seemed to have died down, he cleared his throat and spoke up again.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to tackle the issue at hand rather than spending precious time making the one at fault feel better about himself."

"It's not Stephanos' fault, is it?" Tomoyo asked. "After all, we were the ones who opened the book."

"It is absolutely Stephanos' fault!" Kerberos fumed. "He's supposed to be guarding the cards! That's his job as guardian."

Sakura glared. "You know, I recall another set of cards with a guardian who wasn't doing his job."

If you looked closely, you might swear there was a blush beneath Kerberos' fur. "I-It's not the same! The Clow Cards were not nearly the threat that these cards pose. Tell them, Stephanos."

Stephanos' eyes were closed, and he was moving back and forth slightly to the music. Hearing his name caught his attention, however, and he opened one eye.

"Tell them what?"

"YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE!"

Kerberos lunged as though he were going to attack Stephanos, but Sakura grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and Tomoyo put her arms around Stephanos' shoulders. "Please, calm down," Tomoyo replied. "He may be a little clueless, but your anger isn't helping the situation either. Stephanos, Sakura and I don't know anything about these, uh, Warp Cards. Can you tell us what makes them so dangerous?"

"W-well, it isn't the cards themselves, but the evil energy that powers them. Warp Neon crafted them from an incredible mass of evil energy that-"

Sakura raised her hand. "Perhaps you should start by telling us who this Warp Neon person is. You said that he was a fan of Clow Reed?

" _Not_ a fan!" Kerberos barked. "He was a spiteful old man who was nothing but a nuisance to Clow Reed!"

"A nuisance?" Stephanos tilted his head. "I thought he was Clow Reed's greatest enemy?"

"Self-proclaimed greatest enemy," Kerberos replied with a _hmph._ "But it was only out of jealousy, and Clow Reed never acknowledged him as such."

Tomoyo took her arms from around Stephanos' shoulders and sat down next to him. "But Kero-chan, if he was just a nuisance, then why are you so afraid of these cards?"

Kerberos stiffened. "It's not just the cards' power, it's the fact that they seek nothing but destruction. The Clow Cards' danger came from the fact that they're free spirits who enjoy making mischief upon their own whims. They didn't care whether or not they were hurting anyone. But these Warp Cards? Their _intent_ is to cause as much destruction and suffering as possible."

Sakura frowned. "Stephanos? Is that true?"

Stephanos nodded, the wet towel slipping off of his head. "I'm afraid so. You see, Warp Neon was a magician born over two-hundred years ago, when his homeland of Greece was still controlled by the Ottoman Empire. When he was a young man, the Greeks went to war with the Ottomans for their independence and Warp Neon became desperate for the power to help his people. He wanted to find something that would utterly destroy the Ottoman armies, and that destructive power he cultivated is what he eventually turned into the Warp Cards."

"Warp Neon… that doesn't sound like a very Greek name to me," Tomoyo commented.

"No, _Warp Neon_ was a pseudonym. Even I don't know his birth name," Stephanos replied with a sigh. "He took it on when he moved from Greece to England to study the occult practices of the Freemasons, a society that influenced some of the early movements toward Greek independence. The word _warp_ is English, meaning 'to change or alter,' and _neon_ is Greek, meaning ' _new_.' By taking on the name, he melded his past and future and declared himself a new person… acknowledging that the magic he'd harnessed had changed him."

Kerberos raised a paw. "Hold on, now. You can't pretend the power he wielded was his own. It was a power he discovered on the mythical isle of Ogygia- and he corrupted it by splitting it into two unstable halves."

"Ogygia," Tomoyo began, considering the name. "That's mentioned in Homer's _Odyssey_ as the home of the sea nymph Calypso."

Sakura gasped. "He was able to find a lost Greek island spoken of only in ancient myths?"

Stephanos made a shrugging motion with his shoulders. "Actually it's in Malta, which was under British rule at the time, but…"

"Warp Neon was after a weapon of mass destruction he could wield against the Turks," Kerberos broke in. "He foolishly split Ogygia's power into two halves, one good and one evil, so that he could wield the latter as a tool of war."

"This world cannot exist without a balance of good and evil," Stephanos agreed. "It's the principle of Dualism, something Chinese philosophy refers to as Yin and Yang. For Warp Neon to create a weapon of evil, he first needed to separate the good energy from it. This made it unstable, and after repeated use, the power began to corrupt him."

Sakura hugged her arms close to her chest. "The evil energy made him evil too?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't he recombine them when the war was over and he no longer needed to destroy?" Tomoyo asked. "Surely he must have realized that he was being corrupted."

"That's the problem with power. You don't realize what it's doing to you when you're the one being consumed. Not even when it's too late." Stephanos shook his head. "Warp Neon became obsessed with being recognized as the world's greatest magician. That's why he traveled to England, where he became widely known… and feared. The power he wielded over the people in Victorian England was something he relished, and he held incredible influence over certain occult communities. But it wasn't enough. At some point he heard about a sorcerer in British Hong Kong who had combined Western occultism with Eastern magic and was rumored to be more powerful than any other magician in the world. Warp was enraged, and he declared that he would assert his rightful place. That was when he traveled to Hong Kong and met Clow Reed for the first time."

"I still remember it," Kerberos spoke with a sigh. "Clow Reed was too trusting. This strange foreigner came to visit with no announcement and asked to see the Clow Cards. Clow obliged, showing off Yue and myself, and even giving demonstrations and a reading."

Sakura smiled. "I think it's nice that Clow was so kind."

"He wasn't really. He just… didn't have many friends."

"And Warp Neon wouldn't be a friend to him." Stephanos shook his head, glancing out the window as he spoke. "Determined to outdo Clow Reed, he went home that very night and started work channeling Ogygia's power into the Warp Cards. From the evil half, he formed the cards as beings capable of wanton destruction. And out of the good half, he created me, an obedient servant with such a strong sense of loyalty that there was no capacity for betrayal."

"I… don't get it," Tomoyo began, placing a hand on her chest. "If you're made of good energy, how could you serve someone corrupted by evil?"

Kerberos was the one to reply. "It's more complicated than that. The concepts of 'good' and 'evil' are defined by each individual's set of morals. For Warp Neon, senseless destruction was evil because it was what he wished on his enemies. When the evil energy corrupted him, he was overtaken by a desire for what he had once only wished for those who'd wronged his people. In the same way, Stephanos' life was defined by his servitude to his creator. 'Good' would be following his master's commands, and 'evil' would be… well… _not_."

"But that's changed!" Stephanos broke in, jumping to his feet. Kerberos took a step back and unfolded his wings, but there was no danger. Stephanos was only trying to break into a dramatic speech again. "Decades of fighting alongside Warp Neon brought me face to face with the reality of other viewpoints and moralities! I realized how truly evil Warp Neon was and how twisted it was that he charged me with finding a new master to fight against Clow Reed's successor."

"He did?" Kerberos growled.

"So that's why I've decided to do the opposite!" Stephanos continued, ignoring Kero. "I'm here to ask a grand favor of you, Sakura-sama. I want to purify the Warp Cards and end the fight between Warp Neon and Clow Reed. If you were to capture all the cards and convert them to Sakura Cards, it would not only provide them with a non-evil source of energy, but it would bring the two card sets under one master, united." He closed his eyes and made a sweeping bow in Sakura's direction. "Sakura-sama… will you lend your power to the Warp Cards and accept them as your own?"

Sakura glanced down at her key, wrapping her hands around it and feeling the soft glow of power that emanated from it. It was her own key, her own star, the power with which she supported the cards she loved so dearly. She would never forget the pure exhaustion she had faced when converting the Sakura Cards; the panic of knowing that the unconverted cards were losing their magic and the frightening idea of losing Yue and Yukito, all because she wasn't strong enough to support them…

But she had grown in her magic. That much she knew. Syaoran and Eriol were constantly telling her that her skills were improving, and that even at this young age, she was a powerful sorceress in her own right. How could she turn away these cards when she had a chance to free them from the evil that held them captive?

"I will!" she finally answered, her smile backing the certainty of her words. "On my honor as the master of the Sakura Cards, I will collect and transform the Warp Cards until I've rescued every one of them!"

"Oh, Sakura-sama!" Tears pooled in Stephanos' eyes, and he pounced on Sakura, knocking her over onto the bed and nuzzling her cheek. Sakura giggled, Stephanos' tail wagged happily, and Tomoyo couldn't help an amused coo as she filmed the whole thing.

"Look at them! That's the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Tomoyo gushed, on the verge of crying herself. Kerberos frowned and stuck his head in front of the camera.

"What about me? I'm cute, aren't I? You film me all the time!"

"Yes, of course you're cute, Kero-chan." Tomoyo lowered her camera again. "But you- well- you don't exactly give cuddles or wag your tail like that."

"I'm a CAT! What do you expect?!"

Stephanos and Sakura had finished their embrace, and Stephanos stepped back so that he could speak to Kerberos again. "Come to think of it, I've always wondered why that is. In the original Greek myths, Kerberos is a _dog_."

Kerberos clenched his teeth in frustration. "I am well aware of that! If you have a problem with my look, take it up with Clow Reed! He was a cat person, okay?"

"Oh, I don't doubt that." Stephanos chuckled. "He always did seem like a cat person. Warp Neon wasn't a cat person, but he wasn't really a dog person either. I guess that's why he made me a fox."

"Oh!" Tomoyo stopped filming for a moment, pointing at Stephanos. "Maybe he was referencing the legendary Teumessian Fox. In Greek mythology, it was a magical fox that couldn't be caught by anyone. The people of Thebes sent the magical dog Laelaps to capture it because of Laelaps' ability to capture anything it pursued."

Sakura gasped. "I haven't heard that one! If the fox could never be caught, and the dog could catch anything, then what happened?"

"They were destined to be locked in combat for eternity," Stephanos spoke up, "so the god Zeus turned them both to stone and they became the constellations Canis major and Canis minor."

"Stop talkin' about stars, will you? There's no time for this!" Kerberos stepped in between them, stretching out his wings to separate them. "Look, Stephanos- I know I haven't been the nicest to you now or in the past. But if we're going to do something about the Warp Cards, we'll have to work together, and the keyword there is _work_. For Sakura to capture the cards, she'll need your guidance, since you're the only one who knows what abilities each card has. Can we trust you as our ally in this fight?"

Stephanos' expression grew grave again. "...yes. I'm sorry for getting sidetracked. Where is Yue? We should inform him of what's going on as well."

Sakura sat down on the bed and pulled out her phone. "He's not here, but he- I mean, his temporary form- lives with my brother. I'll give them a call to see if he can come over."

"Will Yukito be home this late?" Tomoyo sat down beside her. "I thought he worked in the evenings."

"He has Thursdays off. That is, unless he and my brother have found new jobs since we got back from Greece…"

Stephanos nudged Kerberos. "What do they mean by _temporary form_? Who is Yukito?"

"Yukito is the name of Yue's temporary form," Kerberos shot back. "Yue disguises himself as a human named Yukito in order to blend in."

"Oh, I see. But he's still Yue, right?"

"No. He's Yukito."

"Huh? But you just said that Yukito is Yue disguised as a human-"

"That's not what I said! Yue disguises himself as Yukito, but Yukito is Yukito!"

"I don't get it-"

"Quiet, you two!" Sakura called out. "It's ringing!"

The room fell silent as a mechanical buzzing noise on the other side of Sakura's cell phone rung out. It felt like an eternity, but finally a voice picked up on the other end.

" _Hello?_ "

"Hi, Yukito? This is Sakura! I'm sorry to call so late-"

" _Sakura? It's no bother at all! How are you? I haven't had a chance to see you since you got home! I've heard all the highlights from Touya, but I want to hear your side of the story._ "

"Y-yeah, I want to tell you all about it too. I was actually calling to, uh, see if you could come over tonight."

" _Tonight? It's kind of late, but I suppose I could-_ "

A loud noise from downstairs rang out, causing Sakura and Tomoyo to yelp in surprise. Stephanos and Kerberos both jumped to their feet, Kerberos' mouth turning up into a snarl.

" _Sakura? Are you alright? What was that just now?_ "

"I-I, uh, think something fell-" Sakura began, but the noise continued, punctuated crashes ringing out through the house and shaking the walls. "-um, I'm sorry, but can I call you back?"

" _Is something wrong? I can just-_ "

"THANKSBYE!" Sakura hung up before Yukito could say anything more and started toward the staircase. Tomoyo followed after, her camera rolling once again, and Stephanos and Kerberos brought up the rear. Once Sakura reached the top of the staircase, she stopped and turned back to face her friends. "I sense something downstairs. Do you think it's a Warp Card?"

"It's very likely," Stephanos nodded. "While the cards are driven to do evil, they were also charged with fighting against the Clow Cards. It must have sensed the Sakura Cards and been lured in by your magic."

"So you're saying the cards will all be after Sakura?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yes, but some are rebellious. They won't come after her right away. Others may draw near, but take their time in observing her and work out a strategy before striking. So any cards that strike first will be those that are headstrong, but not so bright. They should be more easily outsmarted."

"I see," Kerberos murmured. "It's like enemies in a video game slowly growing stronger the more you fight."

"Enemies in a _what what_?"

"I'll tell you about video games later!" Sakura assured him, having to yell to be heard over another crash. "Right now I've got to find out what this card is doing in my kitchen and put a stop to it before my dad gets home!"

* * *

(Unlike my other fanfictions, which I try to keep on update schedules, chapters of this fic will be posted on an "as-I-write" basis. If you enjoy it and want to read more soon, the best way to inspire me to write is to favorite and/or leave a few kind words in a review. Thank you again for reading, and I hope you're enjoying the story!)


	2. Sakura and the Warp Cards

I'm so grateful for all the kind comments that everyone has left. Thank you so, so much for the support- I hope that you continue to enjoy the story. As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Thanks again!

* * *

 **2- Sakura and the Warp Cards**

"I've got to find out what this card is doing in my kitchen and put a stop to it before my dad gets home!"

Her statement quieted the group, and that allowed her to start down the stairs. The crashing had stopped almost as suddenly as it'd started, and Sakura was careful to tiptoe lest she draw attention to herself. She made it to the bottom of the stairs and leaned over to peek into the kitchen.

It was a _mess_. There were pieces of fruit all over the floor, making the place look like someone had spilled a fruit tray. One of Fujitaka's coworkers had dropped off a fruit basket that morning, with full size cantaloupes, pears, bananas, and apples. But last Sakura had seen them, all the fruit was still whole, and still wrapped in the basket. A second examination of the kitchen made it clear, however- the basket itself was also lying in the floor, torn to shreds by… something.

Sakura's instincts kicked in suddenly, and she jumped out of the way just in time to see one of the knives embed itself into the wall right where her head had been.

"Aaaaah!" Sakura shot back, her hands flying to her key. "Key of the Star, _release!_ "

The staff appeared in her hand, and she held it up just in time to fend off another knife. It hit the side of the staff and ricocheted off, clattering onto the floor. Sakura approached it and picked it up, clutching the handle and trying to examine it. It had the same handle as the knives in the kitchen, but the blade was shaped differently. It had the serrated edge of a bread knife, but the blade was shaped like a weapon, almost like a dagger.

"What's that?" Tomoyo stood beside her, bending down to look. "Did someone mess with the knives in your kitchen?"

"I wonder… all of Dad's fruit got cut up," Sakura replied. "But we don't have any kitchen knives that look like this. It's almost like a dagger-"

Another knife flew past, this one larger and even sharper. Instead of reeling back for a second strike, however, it began to slice through the wall, gouging a stroke through the wallpaper and drywall. Sakura grabbed Tomoyo by the shoulder and ducked into the kitchen, taking shelter under the table.

"Sakura-sama!" Stephanos called out, rushing into the kitchen and dodging another strike from the knife. "This must be the _Arsenal_ card. It's one of the most impulsive and headstrong- of course it had to be the one to make the first strike against the new master of the Clow Cards."

Tomoyo zoomed the camera into Stephanos' face. "What does it do?"

"It seeks out materials within everyday objects that can be fashioned into weaponry. Basically, it can make a weapon out of anything-"

"Aaaaaaaaah-! You guys, a little help here?!"

Kerberos' voice echoed around the kitchen as he sidestepped and dodged a barrage of knife strikes. He was putting up barriers as fast as he could, but the knives were beginning to come from all directions.

"H-how many knives do you guys have?! This card has way too much ammo in here!"

Sakura began to crawl out from under the table, holding out the staff in front of her. "Dad got a new 12-piece set for his birthday back in January. It came complete with six specialty knives, six steak knives, a sharpener-"

"We get it!" Kero yelled. "Nevermind the knives- even if it runs out, there's tons of metal cutlery in the kitchen for it to use! We have to lure it somewhere where it can't create weapons!"

"Kerberos is right. The only way to defeat the card is to trap it somewhere where there is nothing from which it can fashion weapons."

Sakura nodded. "Then that's what we'll do! I'm the one it wants, right? Then it should follow me!" She waved her hands and started yelling. "Hey, Warp Card! Arsenal! It's me, the Master of the Clow Cards! You're looking to attack _me_ , right? Then follow me here!"

Without even waiting for it to respond, she turned her back and ran into the living room. For a moment, she glanced around, trying to gauge whether there was anything that might become a weapon, but there wasn't much besides the couch, television, and a couple of plants sitting on the table.

"...Come after me if you want, but there's nothing here for you to use."

Unfortunately, she'd spoken too soon. There was a loud, snapping sound, and the couch cushions flew off the frame, the fabric ripping to reveal the springs underneath. One of the springs began to unwind itself, detaching itself from the couch and twisting into a sharp point. Another was pried free, then another, and finally there were a bunch of springs floating in the air, twisting themselves together into a pointed ball. One leg of the sofa broke off with a loud _crack_ , and rose up to attack itself to the end of the makeshift mace.

"Oh, _come on!_ " Sakura had to dive to the ground to avoid a strike from the mace. "How was I supposed to know it'd get creative?!"

Stephanos slid into the room, his tail raised in alarm. "I told you, it can make weapons out of everyday objects! You can't let your guard down!"

"B-but…" Sakura began to protest, but the mace came crashing towards her once again, and she held up her staff to keep it at bay. It hit the side of the staff and then pulled back to strike another hit. This time, Sakura made a strike on the end of the staff, trapping the head of the mace in the space between the points of the star. She slammed the staff down, pushing the mace onto the floor and harnessing the tension of the springs, causing them all to crack under the pressure.

"Yes!" Kerberos cheered, rushing to Sakura's side. "That's it, then! You just have to beat it at its own game! Show it you can best any weapon it throws at you!"

"Yeah!" Sakura nodded, pulling her staff back to her chest. "Do your worst!"

"N-no, that's not-"

Stephanos tried to break in, but he couldn't get a word in edgewise. The Arsenal card had already taken the broken bits of spring, and was disassembling the television remote to meld the springs onto. Kerberos smirked and stepped in front of Sakura.

"Hah! If you think something puny like that is going to work against the guardian of the Clow Cards, you're just a stupid as your master-"

"Wait, Kero, that's a-" Sakura tried to warn him, but she was still in the middle of her sentence when the weapon shot an electrical strike. It hit Kerberos, causing him to scream out in pain as his muscles convulsed.

"It's no use!" Stephanos called. "No matter how many of its weapons you destroy, it'll always find _something_ to use! You have to figure out a way to deprive it of material completely!"

"But- Kero-chan…" Sakura gasped as she watched him fall to the floor. The weapon turned this time to Sakura, shooting a string of electricity towards her. She managed to jump out of the way, using a couch cushion for an extra boost. "...how can I deprive it of material if it can make weapons out of _anything_?!"

"I-I don't know!" Stephanos stammered. "You're the master of the Clow Cards, aren't you?"

Sakura jumped over the back of the couch, using it to momentarily shield herself from the weapon. "The cards… that's it!"

Within a moment, she'd dug into her pocket and pulled out the card she had in mind. She threw it up and hit it with her staff, calling out to it as she did so.

"Maze card! Trap the arsenal card with me in a maze of your own design! MAZE!"

The surroundings of the living room began to fade away as Maze took over, trapping the group within its confines. Freed from behind the couch, Sakura struck with her staff, smashing the television remote into pieces.

From the shattered pieces of the remote, a humanoid form appeared. It looked similar to a man in ancient armor, his helmet concealing his face. He began to look back and forth frantically, as though he were searching for some kind of material to use as a weapon. But there was nothing surrounding them except for the blank walls of the maze.

"Now I've got you!" Sakura raised her staff and brought it down in front of the figure. "Return to the form in which you were meant to be! Warp Card!"

At the touch of Sakura's staff, the figure turned dark and transformed into the form of a card. Sakura reached out and grabbed hold of it as the maze disappeared around them and she was returned to the living room- card in hand.

Kerberos pulled himself to his feet, still shaking from the electricity. "Y-you got it…?"

"Yeah," Sakura murmured, holding the card up for him to see. "All I had to do was trap it somewhere where there wasn't any material for it to use. The only place I could think of was within a dimension created by a Sakura Card."

"Hah!" Kerberos grinned. "That's score one for Sakura, zero for Warp Neon-"

"Not so fast!"

Stephanos spoke just as the card flew from Sakura's hands and the humanoid figure reappeared in front of them. He grabbed the piece of wood from the broken mace and began shaving the ends down to create a sharp spike.

"Agh! It doesn't respect the sealing wand." Kerberos growled. "You have to seal it and transform it in the same stroke!"

"B-but…" Sakura gasped, lunging to knock the spike from the card's hand. "They're two different incantations!"

"You're the master! Make a new one!"

Sakura ground her teeth as her staff made contact with the spike, knocking it across the room. The card jumped back and began surveying his surroundings again, bolting out into the hallway. Sakura followed, chasing it around the corner toward the house's entryway. The card made it to the door and began loosening the screws on the doorknob, but she didn't give it time to make anything out of them.

" _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from my light_! SAKURA CARD!"

The figure turned back into card form, just as it had before. But this time the color was different, the card taking on the pink hue of the Sakura cards. The last of the light disappeared from the card's surface and it flew to Sakura's hand, settling between her fingers.

"...is that it…?" Stephanos murmured, rounding the corner alongside Kerberos and approaching her.

A smile spread across Sakura's face as she looked over the card, appreciating the new design. It looked… just like all of the cards she already had. It glowed with the power she had come to recognize as her own, one that she had grown to love as it was found in each card she'd created.

"It's mine. The Arsenal is now… a Sakura card."

There was quiet for a long moment as Kerberos and Stephanos looked at one another. Kero was unsure, but Stephanos had a wide smile on his face. Sakura turned back to look at the two of them, holding up the card. It began to glow, and the energy manifested before her in a similar form as before, but this time with the warrior missing his helmet, the kind features of his face exposed. He looked at Sakura and knelt to the ground in a respectful bow.

"It's okay. You don't have to do that." Sakura stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I don't just want to be your master, I want to be your friend. Will you be my friend, Arsenal?"

Arsenal looked up, and a smile passed over its face. It stood up again and took Sakura's hands in its own before nodding and returning to the card. The card gleamed and then grew still, and silence filled the hall again as Sakura held the card to her chest.

"I can feel it. It's just like when I transformed the Clow Cards, that feeling of exhaustion afterward. But at the same time, I'm so happy."

"It looks like you're not the only one." Tomoyo's voice came from down the hall where she was still recording, and it prompted Sakura to open her eyes again. She gasped as she saw the rest of the Sakura Cards having escaped from her pocket and begun floating around her. But they weren't just focusing on Sakura- they all seemed to be curious about the card she was holding.

"This same thing would happen each time Clow Reed created a new card," Kerberos spoke. "The rest of the cards want to greet their new companion."

Sakura giggled and held up The Arsenal for the rest of the cards to see. "Don't worry, everyone. You'll all get to meet your new friend soon enough!"

The cards spun around her a few more times, and then joined together into one deck in her hand. Tomoyo stopped filming so that she could applaud, and Stephanos mimicked her as best he could do with his soft paw pads.

"Now that Arsenal has been purified, its evil instincts have abated. It can be used for beneficial purposes, like creating shields or other defensive armor for people you want to protect."

Sakura held the deck close to her chest. "Thank you, Stephanos."

"N-no, thank _you!_ I can't tell you how long I've dreamed of this," Stephanos' voice cracked as though he were going to cry. "Finally, we've made a step toward uniting the two sets of cards into one-"

He took a step toward Sakura, but didn't make it any further before the front door flew open, a figure standing behind it with a spell in hand, poised to strike.

" _Take another step toward Sakura, Stephanos, and you will die where you stand._ "

Sakura froze, overcome by a sudden flash of panic.

" _Yue?!_ "

He stood just on the other side of the doorway, wings outstretched and one arm extended with a spell in hand, ready to strike. Sakura ran towards him, throwing her arms around his waist to distract him from his spell.

"Stop! Don't hurt him!"

Yue staggered backward, the spell in his hand dying down. "S-Sakura! What are you doing? I came as soon as I heard what you said to Yukito, but I never expected to find you with Stephanos. That creature is a danger to-"

"As usual, you prefer fighting to talking," Kerberos sighed, stepping forward. "Sakura, show him your new card."

"New card?" Yue responded with a frown, looking down to confirm what Kerberos was saying. Sakura nodded and held up The Arsenal for Yue to see. Rather than taking it from her, he knelt down to get a closer look. "This was…"

"It was one of the Warp Cards that Stephanos was guarding. He asked me to transform it into a Sakura Card so that we can merge the two card systems under one master."

Yue turned his gaze to Stephanos now, narrowing his eyes. "What's your game?"

"Game?"

"What is it you're trying to gain by combining the Clow Cards and Warp Cards? Is this a ploy to corrupt the original Clow Cards?"

"No!" Stephanos gasped. "Please, listen! The story is-"

"Not from you." Yue stopped him. "Let me hear from Sakura and Kerberos."

"S-sure…" Sakura nodded. "But come inside, will you? It's dark out."

* * *

Sakura was going to invite him into the living room, but the couch had been destroyed, so the kitchen table had to do. Sakura, Yue, and Tomoyo sat in three of the chairs, and Kerberos propped his front paws up on the fourth. Stephanos was relegated to stand across the room- a measure that Sakura thought was unnecessary, but one that Yue insisted upon.

"I see. So that's what he hopes to achieve… or so he claims." Yue glanced over to Stephanos. "I'm not sure I trust him, however."

"I'm not sure I trust him either," Kerberos replied, "but I don't have any evidence against what he's saying. Therefore, I think it's in our best interest to keep him close, that way we can watch him."

"Um," Tomoyo raised one hand as she spoke, "could we not talk about him like he's not in the room with us? He's sitting right there."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Tomoyo-sama, but I don't mind!" Stephanos called back, waving his paws in the air. "It makes sense for Kerberos and Yue not to trust me after what I've done. They and Sakura-sama have control over the situation right now, and I'm happy to follow their lead."

Sakura stood up and nodded in his direction. "Well, _I_ trust Stephanos. It's obvious that transforming The Arsenal rescued it from the evil influence it was under, so I don't see any danger in transforming the cards."

"Except for the part where the card tried to _kill_ you," Kerberos murmured.

"I-I handled it!"

"It is clear you did," Yue responded, "but from the looks of this place, the danger was nothing to laugh at. Besides, if Stephanos' claims are correct, you will continue to be attacked by more powerful and intelligent cards. Trying to transform them all will be difficult, especially if their intent is deadly."

Tomoyo placed a hand over her mouth to hide her frown. "But what choice does she have?"

"She could destroy them," Kerberos offered. "As long as they approach her one by one, she has that power."

Sakura slammed her hands down on the table. "No! I won't do it!"

"Sakura…" Tomoyo placed a hand on her arm.

"Sure, I had a hard time capturing this card, but I had a hard time capturing the Clow Cards too. And once it was transformed, there was no difference between this Sakura Card and the others. I care about all the Sakura Cards as a master and _friend_ , which is something the Warp Cards have never experienced. They deserve to be free of evil and know what it means to have friendship. And if it takes extra effort to do that for them, so be it."

The room fell quiet, and eventually Yue and Kerberos sighed in unison.

"Well, that's our Sakura," Kerberos said.

Yue nodded. "It's true. It's the qualities we appreciate in her as a master that give her the conviction needed to do this. If the Master wishes it, then I will use all my power to help her collect and transform the Warp Cards."

"I, as well, will support Sakura with my full power," Kerberos agreed. "Until all the Warp Cards are safely transformed, we cannot let our guards down. We will have to be wary at all times."

A relieved smile spread across Sakura's face. "Oh, thank you! I knew I could count on you two!" She turned around and offered Stephanos a comforting grin. "Don't worry, Stephanos. We'll help you transform all the Warp Cards!"

Stephanos clapped his paws together again. "Thank you, Sakura-sama! Thank you Kerberos, thank you, Yue-"

"Before we get into that," Yue interrupted him, standing up as well, "I believe Sakura should attend to the mess that your card made of her home before her father returns."

Sakura drew in a sharp gasp. "Oh no! Dad! He'll be home any minute and this place is a disaster!"

"Is there a card you can use to help you?" Tomoyo asked, standing up and pushing her chair in. "I'd hate for all that fruit to go to waste. Why not wash it and put it on a plate?"

Sakura glanced over at the kitchen, the floor littered with chopped pieces of fruit. "I could try. Let's see…" She flipped through the deck of cards until she found the one she was looking for, holding it up and tapping it with her staff. " _Watery card!_ Collect and clean the fruit so that it can be served on a platter! WATERY!"

Within a few minutes, The Watery had strung a chain of water around the room, retrieving the fruit slices and floating them for long enough to remove any dirt or dust. It then disposed of the dirty water into the sink, dropping the fruit slices onto the platter that Sakura was holding out. She had to jump and weave to catch them as they fell, but soon she had the platter filled and nicely stacked.

"Wow, that looks amazing!" Sakura murmured as she admired the tray. "They're all so beautiful and perfectly cut, it looks like a professional fruit tray!" Watery approached, a curious frown on its face, and Sakura offered the tray in thanks. The card took a slice of apple and chewed it slowly, examining the taste. It took a moment for it to decide whether it liked the apple or not, but finally, Watery offered a bright smile and then returned to its card form once again.

Sakura giggled and put the tray down on the table so that she could grab the card and return it to the deck. "Thanks, Watery. Now about that couch-"

She didn't make it any further. The sound of the front door opening cut Sakura's sentence off, and a friendly " _Sakura, I'm home!_ " from Fujitaka echoed through the house. Sakura gasped and hissed "STEPHANOS, HIDE!" while Kerberos and Yue immediately began to change into their temporary forms. By the time Fujitaka made it into the kitchen, he was greeted by a smiling Sakura and Tomoyo, and a very confused-looking Yukito.

"Wh-wha-" Yukito began, but Sakura grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed it.

"Hi, Dad! Welcome home. I started cutting up the fruit that Dr. Kawamoto gave you, and realized just how much of it there is. We probably can't eat it all, so I called Yukito and asked if he could pick some up for him and Touya. _Right,_ Yukito?"

Recognizing her tone of voice, Yukito nodded. "R-right! Though, I wanted to wait until you got home, just to make sure it was alright with you."

Fujitaka chuckled. "You read my mind, Sakura. I was just thinking earlier today that I should send some of the fruit with Touya. Of course he and Yukito can have some." It was then he seemed to notice the pile of fruit on the tray and gasped. "You cut all this up, Sakura?"

"Not just me. I had some help."

Fujitaka looked back and forth between Tomoyo and Yukito, and nodded at both of them. "Thank you both for your help. Tomoyo, if you'd like to take some home with you, you're welcome to it as well. Give some to your mother."

"I will!" Tomoyo chimed. "I'm sure she'll enjoy it."

Fujitaka placed his briefcase down beside the table, allowing him to yawn and stretch his arms. "I'm sorry the meeting went long. Why don't we go sit down in the living room and have some tea with our fruit-"

"Dad, wait!"

Fujitaka stopped, looking back at Sakura. "...is everything okay?"

"I… uh…" Sakura wrung her hands and looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry, but something happened. Earlier there was a magic creature in here, and it tore up the living room pretty bad. We were going to clean it up, but we didn't get a chance before you came home."

"A magical creature?" Fujitaka asked, his expression turning to a frown. "Are you okay? Were you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. But the living room-"

She cut off as Fujitaka knelt down in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I told you to _tell_ me if something magical happens. I may have the ability to sense these things, but I'm not good enough with it yet to know when something is dangerous or not. I can't help you if I don't know what's going on."

Sakura blushed. "I'm sorry, Dad. But you had an important meeting and I didn't want to bother you. Don't worry, I'll fix the sofa and the tv remote, with my own allowance if you need me to, and-"

"That's not important." Fujitaka shook his head and pulled her into a hug. "We'll fix it together. As long as you're safe, that's all I'm worried about."

Sakura sniffled, trying to keep herself from crying. She hated to do that in front of Tomoyo and Yukito, after all.

"Thanks, Dad." Sakura wiped the edges of her eyes. "I'll make some tea. You should sit down."

"I will." Fujitaka moved to the table, pulling out a chair opposite Yukito and Tomoyo, who were both trying to keep smiles on for his sake. Despite their carefree attitude, Fujitaka was still uneasy, and he noticed the pair of plush toys sitting at the edge of the table. One was familiar to him, but the other was new, and he picked it up to examine it.

"Oh? Did you get Kero-chan a new friend?"

Sakura hadn't noticed, and she gasped as she caught sight of it. It was about the same size as Kero, but with pointed ears and a bushy tail. It was orange and foxlike, and Sakura's eyes lit up in recognition.

"Oh, y-yeah! That's Steph… en. He's new."

"He's cute. Where did you get him?"

"Oh, uh," Tomoyo spoke up, "it was at that new boutique that just opened downtown. I saw him when I was shopping with my mother a few weeks ago and bought him for Sakura as a back-to-school gift."

"B-because he reminded you of Kero-chan, right?" Yukito jumped in, trying to join the conversation as best he could. "That's sweet of you."

"Tomoyo always has been a kind girl," Fujitaka answered with a smile, setting Stephen back down on the table. "We're lucky to have her."

With the conversation having taken a more casual turn, they were able to draw Fujitaka's attention away from the magical events. He inspected the living room couch as well as the television remote, and assured them that the couch would be fixed soon and that the remote could easily be replaced.

It had gotten late, so Fujitaka offered to drive both Yukito and Tomoyo home. Tomoyo gratefully accepted, but Yukito stayed behind- "to help clean up," he explained. It gave Sakura time to give him a very quick play-by-play. Still, she couldn't explain everything in the limited time they had, and he still went home with lots of questions. It wasn't like she didn't have questions either, but for now there was not much more to do than rest and recover. She had a lot of work ahead of her.

* * *

 _There was a woman… and she was crying._

Sakura looked around, trying to gauge her surroundings. It was dark and difficult to see beyond the small patch of light where she was standing. It was almost as if there were a street light shining on the one spot, but there was no light source in sight. Only the woman, sitting on the ground in front of Sakura.

"...what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Sakura knelt down next to the woman. Her head was bowed, so Sakura couldn't see her face, but she had thick, dark hair that curled and weaved down to her waist. At the sound of Sakura's voice, she lifted her head and looked at her.

The woman was dressed in Chinese clothing, but when she lifted her head, Sakura got a better look at her features, which were distinctively European. The woman opened her mouth and uttered a string of words that Sakura didn't understand.

"...I'm sorry, you… what?" Sakura asked, wondering if perhaps the woman's speech was simply muddled by her sobs.

The woman repeated herself, a little clearer this time, allowing Sakura to determine that it was, indeed, a language she didn't understand.

"I-I don't understand what you're saying. What language are you speaking? Can you speak Japanese?"

The woman's expression was completely blank, and she looked almost overwhelmed by Sakura's words. She began to cry again, and repeated the same words she'd said before, along with a few others. Sakura began to look around, unsure of what to do. She couldn't understand the language the woman was speaking; it sounded like Chinese, but she wasn't certain, and Syaoran wasn't here to translate.

" _...oh, if only Syaoran were here… Syaoran… Syaoran..._ "

Sakura awoke with a start, the name Syaoran playing through her mind. She shook her head, trying to dispel the focus on him and remember the face of the woman that she'd seen. Everything was beginning to blur, as dreams did upon waking, and the more she tried to remember the words that the woman had spoken to her, the less she was able to recall them.

"Sakura-sama?" Stephen looked up from his perch on the windowsill, seeing her awake. He had remained in his stuffed-animal form since the night before, despite Kero's complaints of him being a _copycat_. It was a good disguise, and he had already taken to the nickname. "Good morning! You were calling out to someone in your sleep. Who is Syaoran?"

"Syaoran is my-" Sakura began, and stopped herself as a blush crossed her face. "I mean, he's a fellow magician and a descendant of Clow Reed."

Stephen perked up. "Of the Li clan, you mean?"

"That's right! You know the Li clan?"

"Know them?" Stephen asked, and then laughed. "Sakura-sama, I was there when Clow Reed was training Li Xiaohe in the ways of his magic. Of course I know the Li clan!"

"...Li Xiaohe…" Sakura murmured. "That must be one of Syaoran's ancestors. Amazing. W-wait! That's not what my dream was about, though-"

The desk drawer opened up, and Kero poked his head out. "What's going on, Sakura? You're up early."

"Sakura had a dream about someone named Syaoran. She was calling out his name in her sleep," Stephen answered.

" _Oooooh_ , Sakura." Kero grinned. "I didn't realize you were grown-up enough to be having _those_ sort of dreams-"

"That's not it!" Sakura threw her pillow at Kero. "It wasn't about him at all! There was a woman, and she was crying. I couldn't understand what she was saying, so I couldn't help her. It sounded like Chinese and I thought maybe Syaoran could translate, but I forgot what she said… thanks to _you guys_!"

The pillow had shoved the drawer closed again, and Kero had to push it open a second time. "Geez, sorry about that."

Stephen was more formal, bowing apologetically. "Forgive me, Sakura-sama! It wasn't my intention to make you forget the important details of your dream!"

"It's okay, Stephen. I know you didn't mean it." Sakura waved one hand and then took a look at her alarm clock. "I still have an hour before I need to get up. Maybe if I go back to sleep, I'll dream it again."

"It's possible," Kero replied, sitting on the edge of the drawer. "But if it's a prophetic dream, it might not appear so conveniently. Those kinds of dreams don't tend to come when called."

Sakura nodded sadly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just wish I could remember what she was saying. If I knew that, I could find out why she was crying and help her."

There was a silence as Sakura lay back down on the bed and closed her eyes in thought. Stephen jumped down and perched on the side of the bed next to her. "If you don't recall the dream today, you can try again tomorrow. I'm versed in many languages, so I could tell you exactly what she's saying should you remember her words."

"Thank you, Stephen," Sakura murmured, reaching out to pat him on the head. "You're so helpful."

"I-I know a bunch of languages too!" Kero yelled, flying up to hover above the desk. "I speak Chinese and _impeccable_ Japanese-"

"Really? Your Japanese is different from what I was trained in," Stephen replied, turning back to him. "You use some rather odd words that I don't quite get."

"See? _See?_ He doesn't even know the Osaka-ben! How can he say he truly has a grasp on languages?" Kero flashed a haughty grin. "Osaka is one of the most heavily populated metropolitan areas in the world. You're pretty pathetic if you can't even speak their dialect-"

"Knock it off, Kero-chan." Sakura dove back under the blankets. "Don't be so mean to him. He's doing his best."

"It's alright." Stephen answered with a smile. "Actually, I'd like to learn this _Osaka-ben_. Will you teach me, Kerberos?"

"Learnin' the Osaka style talk, eh?" A glint appeared in Kero's eye. "You've come to the right guy, Stephanos. I'll learn ya good!"

"I look forward to it!"

Sakura groaned and turned away from them. At this rate, she'd never get back to sleep.

* * *

Having not quite made it back to sleep, Sakura was able to make it to school early again. She opened the door to the classroom to see a few of her classmates around, and noticed Syaoran sitting in his normal desk. Not wanting to alarm the others, she whispered his name and motioned for him once he looked up at her.

"Huh? Sakura?" He stood up, but didn't leave his desk. She sighed and made a ' _come here_ ' motion with her hands, and finally he understood and exited the classroom. "What is it? Why do you need to talk out here? Did something happen?"

The two stepped back toward the window so that others in the hallway could move around them. Before Sakura could even begin explaining the situation, Syaoran started speaking once again.

"I felt something strange last night. It was as if something powerful suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Did something happen with the book after I left?"

"Yes." Sakura nodded. "Look at this."

She pulled the Arsenal card from her pocket and held it up to him. A look of surprise passed over his face, replaced quickly by one of scrutiny. He reached out and took the card from her, examining it closely.

"What in the world is _this_? How did you make a new Sakura Card?"

"I didn't make it. I transformed it from another form. See, it was... one of the cards that belonged to Warp Neon."

There was a pause.

"To who?"

"Warp Neon. You know, Clow Reed's enemy. The one from Greece."

Syaoran's expression remained blank.

"He, uh, moved to England to study the occult and heard about Clow Reed… then came to Hong Kong and copied the Clow Cards using his own power… and, uh… the guardian of those cards said that he knew your ancestor. I forgot his name, but it was the member of the Li family that studied under Clow Reed-"

"Li Baoyi," Syaoran replied.

"Was that it? I don't think-"

"Yes. Li Baoyi was Clow Reed's relative and adoptive son, and is considered the patriarch of the current Li clan. But I've never heard of this Warp Neon person. I didn't know that Clow had any connections to Greece."

Sakura frowned. "That's weird. I guess Kero-chan was right when he said that Warp Neon was just a nuisance. But he and Yue seemed really upset about it…"

Syaoran was about to say something else, but their teacher passed by them and waved.

"Li, Kinomoto, you don't want to be late for class."

" _Y-yes ma'am_!" They both stammered in reply, racing for the door. Rather than telling them not to run, the teacher just laughed and followed them inside.

"Let's eat lunch together so that I can explain everything." Sakura whispered as they made it back to their seats, waving to Tomoyo.

"Of course." Syaoran nodded. "You can tell me then."

It was a relief, at least, that he knew. But Sakura couldn't help being distracted through their morning classes.

Why didn't Syaoran know about Warp Neon?

* * *

"Ugh, how do anime characters always eat lunch on the roof? It's so hot up here and there's no shade!"

It was rare for Syaoran to complain about something as trivial as the weather, but he had done poorly on a pop quiz in English, and Sakura was sure he was half-venting about it.

"We can eat in the stairwell if you want to stay out of the sun," Tomoyo offered, setting her lunch bag down. "I just thought this place would give us the most privacy to talk magical stuff."

"No, it's fine." Syaoran took a seat near the door, and Sakura settled down beside him. She began opening her own lunch, but she noticed that he hadn't even touched his, and decided to wait until they'd covered the important information.

"So, uh, you're sure you've never heard of Warp Neon?"

"That's right." Syaoran nodded. "It's a unique name. I'd remember it if I'd heard it before, especially in relation to Clow Reed. More than one sorcerer tried to copy the Clow Cards, but I didn't know any had succeeded in creating any with powers that could rival the originals."

Sakura pulled The Arsenal out of her bag and examined it. "Stephen said that the energy that powered the card was pure evil, and that made it dangerous."

"Stephen?"

"That's, uh, Stephanos, the guardian of the Warp Cards-"

Sakura had barely finished her sentence before Tomoyo cut her off, holding up her smartphone for them to see. "I'm calling Kero-chan and Stephen now. They can tell us more."

The phone held a blank ringing screen for a moment, but then there was a click and Kero and Stephen appeared.

"I was wonderin' when you'd call me!" Kero exclaimed. "You can't have a proper discussion about this without me, remember."

"Sorry, Kero-chan," Sakura answered with an apologetic bow. "I just didn't think-"

"SAKURA-SAMA!" Stephen pushed his way in front of Kero, grabbing the phone and pressing his face against the screen so that he was almost entirely blocking the camera. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS BOX, SAKURA-SAMA? WHO TRAPPED YOU HERE? I WILL SAVE YOU, DON'T WORRY-"

The camera cleared up again as Kero shoved Stephen out of the way. "It's a _video call_ , ya ding-dong! She's not _in_ the phone, she's talking to us _through_ the phone."

Stephen gasped, pressing closer again as though completely unfazed by Kero's earlier gesture. "This thing… is a _telephone_ …?"

"Ah, that's right, you were sealed away around the turn of the twentieth century," Tomoyo gasped. "The first telephones had just been invented."

"Yes, that's right!"

Syaoran took the phone from Tomoyo, shielding it with his hand so that he could get a better look past the glare. "Stephanos, right? I'm Li Syaoran. What is-"

"Li Syaoran! Of the Li clan!" Stephen once again pressed his face against the camera. "I am so, _so_ happy to finally meet you! I mean, I only first heard about you this morning, but for the past five hours and twenty-eight minutes I have _dreamed_ of getting an introduction with you."

"...uh, thanks…" Syaoran murmured. "But I'm confused. What is this Sakura tells me about a sorcerer named Warp Neon?"

Stephen paused and backed away from the camera slightly. "You… you don't know about Warp Neon?"

"No. I've never heard the name before."

"But… but that's impossible…" Stephen murmured. "...he must _at least_ know Warp Neon's name…"

Kero shoved his way in front of the screen again. "See, it's just like I told ya. Warp Neon was nothin' but a little thorn in Clow's side, not worth rememberin'."

"Uh, hey," Syaoran began with a frown, "has your accent gotten stronger? I don't understand half of what you're saying."

"He's trying to teach me the Osaka-ben," Stephen answered. "You should study it too, Li Syaoran. Oh! Perhaps we can study together-"

"Okay, okay. I'll try to talk a little more standard for ya," Kero spoke up again with a sigh. "But now is not the time to be worried about languages and dialects. These Warp Cards? The only language they speak is destruction and suffering. We _can't_ let them have their way with Tomoeda and the rest of the world."

Syaoran closed his eyes and sighed. "If there's some sort of danger facing Sakura, I want to help in any way I can. Tell me what I need to do."

By the time the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, Sakura had barely touched her food and had to scramble to scarf it down as they rushed back to the classroom. The conversation had lasted longer than she'd planned, with Syaoran asking question after question about Warp Neon and his connections to Clow Reed. Stephen recounted the information as thoroughly as he could, but there was still a sense of unease surrounding Syaoran throughout the rest of the day.

Once class ended, Sakura assumed she wouldn't see him again until the next day. An important cheerleading meet was taking place next week, and because she'd been away during part of the summer training camp, Sakura had to stay late to practice some of the choreography. The school was almost empty by the time she left. However, as she exited the school grounds, she caught Syaoran just outside the school gate, talking on the phone.

He didn't notice her at first, so she stayed behind the gate to listen in on the conversation. Unfortunately for her, it was entirely in Cantonese, and she didn't understand a word that Syaoran was saying, much less what the person on the other end of the phone might be telling him. There were a few minutes in which Syaoran paused, listening to the other end with only a few sounds of acknowledgement, and then he offered what sounded like a respectful goodbye before hanging up. Sakura waited a split second for him, and then peeked her head around the corner of the gate.

"Who were you talking to?"

" _Ack!_ Sakura!" Syaoran flinched, nearly dropping his phone. He scrambled to catch it before it hit the ground and put it safely back in his backpack. "Where did you come from?"

"I had to stay late to practice the moves I missed during the summer camp," Sakura answered. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, we had to move a bunch of furniture for drama club practice, so the first-years stayed behind to clean up. It's getting late, so I figured I should call my mother on my way home, but I guess I was too distracted to go anywhere."

Sakura frowned. "Oh, so it was your mother on the phone?"

"That's right."

"What were you talking about?"

"I-I…" Syaoran glanced away, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. "...I was surprised this afternoon, hearing Kerberos talk about a part of Clow's past that I've never heard of. I've studied Clow Reed, studied his writings and all the information that he left his adoptive son, my great-great-grandfather, Li Baoyi. I should know all about Clow's past. And yet, suddenly there's this villain I've never heard of, who went so far as to _copy_ Clow Reed's greatest achievement in the name of evil? I didn't want to say outright that I didn't believe Kero or Stephen, but…"

"You don't trust them?" Sakura asked. "But Kero-chan and Yue were there. They both know about Warp Neon. Why would they lie?"

Syaoran shook his head. "I thought the same thing. That's why I called my mother, to see if she knew anything about Warp Neon. She was the only child of Li Baoyi's grandson, and so she studied Clow Reed's legacy harder than anyone to prove that she was worthy of inheriting the clan title despite being a woman. If anyone- _anyone_ \- in the Li clan would know about this Warp Neon, she would. I wanted to hear it from her, to prove that Kerberos and the others were telling the truth."

He was always so serious when talking about his family, it made Sakura feel sad in a way. Even with her constant fights with Touya, she still loved him and could think only happy thoughts about him and her father. Their family was small, but it was strong. Syaoran had his mother, his sisters, cousins like Meiling and even Wei. And yet, talking about his family made him seem so… lonely.

Sakura couldn't help it. She placed her arms around his chest and pulled him into a gentle hug. "What did she say?" she murmured.

Syaoran returned the hug, wrapping his arms around Sakura's shoulders and leaning down so that she could hear him better.

"She said that she'd never heard of _Warp Neon_."

Sakura drew back with a sharp gasp, and Syaoran let her go. "What does that mean?" she asked, covering her mouth. "If your mother doesn't know about Warp Neon, then-"

"She said that she'll check the literature once again. But I don't doubt my mother's knowledge." Syaoran shook his head and turned back toward the gate. "This means that, either Kerberos and Yue are being deceived with false memories like with Eriol, or that someone within the Li family has been keeping Warp Neon- and _only_ Warp Neon- a secret."

"Why would they do that?" Sakura spoke in almost a whisper, more to herself than to Syaoran. He answered, however, his voice cracking uncharacteristically.

"I don't know."

"Syaoran…"

He turned back to her, looking her in the eyes. "Don't say anything about this to Kerberos or Yue. I want to do more research for myself. I've sent a message to Eriol and contacted some other members of my family. My sisters have been working for the past decade on computerizing the writings and diagrams left by Clow Reed to be digitally preserved. They can send me all kinds of information that I can study here in Tomoeda. Maybe they have something that even Mother doesn't."

Sakura sighed. "Alright, then. I'll worry about capturing and transforming the rogue cards now. I'll leave this in your capable hands."

For the first time that conversation, Syaoran smiled. "Thank you, Sakura."

She had to hug him again- if only because she was satisfied that, even without being blood relation, she could bring the kind of smile to his face that could only be created by family.

"See you tomorrow, Syaoran."

"See you tomorrow, Sakura. Be careful."

"I will."


	3. Sakura and the Wild Dog

This chapter has been a long time coming- too long, in fact. I started posting this fic to celebrate the new anime, but that also happened to be the beginning of my final undergraduate semester. With multiple papers and presentations, weekly lab hours, and thesis work to make sure I'd met all the graduation requirements, fanfiction-writing naturally fell on the back-burner. I'm getting back to it now, and while I can't promise anything, I'm taking the summer off to pursue creative endeavors and this is one of them. As always, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **3- Sakura and the Wild Dog**

The morning held with it a slight chill in the air, the first indication that autumn might be arriving within the next few weeks. Sakura opened the window as she prepared for school, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

"The weather's so nice today! It's too bad we don't have cheerleading practice on Saturdays- this is the perfect weather for it."

Kero-chan was still asleep, but Stephen was awake and working on some drawings in his own little notebook. He looked up from his perch on the desktop and smiled.

"I'd love to see this… _cheerleading_ that you speak of, Sakura-sama. Perhaps you could take me to practice with you someday?"

Sakura had finished brushing her hair, and she placed the brush back down on the vanity. "We have a big meet next Saturday afternoon. Maybe I'll bring you then."

"Oh, that would be most lovely! It was a little boring around here yesterday all by ourselves. I wish I could accompany you to school."

"I'm sorry. I wish you could come with me too," she murmured, opening the Sakura book and pulling out The Arsenal to examine. It was possible that Syaoran would find some clues about Warp Neon in the research he'd promised to do the previous day, but meanwhile Sakura had to count on Stephen for information on the Warp Cards. While he seemed genuine, there was no telling when or where the next card would appear and whether or not she'd have Stephen by her side.

Kero poked his head out of his drawer, yawning and rubbing one eye. "I assume that ya didn't have that dream again last night?"

"No." Sakura shook her head. She paused to finish tying the bow on her blouse and then turned back to the two guardians. "But I'll be sure to let you know if I have it again, though. I don't think it's a coincidence that I had the dream right after I captured the first Warp Card. If someone's trying to tell me something about the Cards, I want to know what it is."

"Well, don't force it." Kero floated up onto the desk and sat down on top of the Sakura book. "Clow always said that dreams were fickle things that never told you what you really needed to know."

"I'll keep that in mind." Sakura let out a sigh and examined her appearance in the mirror one last time before reaching for her schoolbag. "Okay, I'm off! Tomoyo and I are going out after our Saturday classes to celebrate her birthday, so I'll be home late. See you later!"

"Oh, that's today, isn't it? Tell her I said _happy birthday_." Kero smiled and waved. "See ya later!"

"See ya later!" Stephen repeated, trying to mimic Kero's speech patterns. He wasn't perfect at it, but he was catching on, and it was amusing to hear him mix his extremely formal Japanese with Kero's casual Kansai dialect.

The air temperature might've been inching toward autumn, but the trees were still as green as ever, and Sakura admired the way the leaves threw shadows on the sidewalk as she skated. She and Tomoyo had made plans to go shopping downtown after school, and she couldn't wait to give Tomoyo the birthday gift she'd been working on. It was the perfect sunny day to enjoy window shopping and ice cream, and there'd be lots of opportunities for them to take a cute photo to fill Sakura's hand-decorated frame. Everything was going to be perfect!

But… Tomoyo wasn't at school.

It was unusual in itself that she would be late for school, but she hadn't appeared by the time homeroom started, and when the teacher took roll, she was marked absent.

"Did Tomoyo say anything to you last night?" Once homeroom ended, Syaoran leaned forward and whispered to Sakura. "I've never known her to be absent, even for a Saturday class."

"No," Sakura responded with a shake of her head. "It's her birthday, so she and I had plans this afternoon."

Chiharu leaned over from the desk on the other side of Tomoyo's. "I wonder if she got sick. My sister's allergies started acting up because of the change in the weather."

"But Tomoyo doesn't have allergies…" Sakura murmured, looking up at the ceiling as she thought it over. "I wonder…"

Their first class started before she had the chance to think too much about it, but she was distracted throughout the morning and almost to lunch, when the door opened in the middle of chemistry. Ms. Shimazaki turned around, ready to scold someone for interrupting her class, but her expression fell as she caught sight of the girl on the other side of the doorway.

"I'm sorry for interrupting. The director told me that I should give you a copy of the hospital's note."

"Y-yes, of course. Go take a seat, Daidouji. We've just started chapter six in the textbook."

There was a tension in the classroom as the students watched Tomoyo walk to her desk, all eyes fixed on the bandages covering her left arm. A murmur of confusion began in the room, with a few students trying to whisper questions to Tomoyo, but the teacher scolded them before she could answer and they returned to the lesson. It was almost lunchtime anyway- so they'd have an explanation soon.

* * *

"So, your dog just _bit_ you? Out of nowhere?"

Sakura and her friends had pushed their desks together for lunch, and all eyes were on Tomoyo. She held up her left arm, showing off the bandages for them to see.

"Yeah, it was my family's guard dog. I was walking to the car this morning and all of a sudden he started snarling and jumped at me. It took three of the bodyguards just to pull him off, and they got bitten too. We all went to the emergency room while they sent Pepper to the vet, but even after having to tranquilize him, the vet couldn't figure out what was wrong."

"That's so scary," Naoko murmured, putting her hands over her mouth. "I thought guard dogs were specially trained."

"They are, and he is." Tomoyo nodded her head. "That's why it was so unexpected."

Syaoran crossed his arms, closing his eyes in thought. "Did the vet test him for rabies? If he was rabid, you'll need to get the vaccine and immunoglobin as soon as possible."

Tomoyo shook her head. "We don't have rabies in Japan. It was eradicated in the '50's."

"O-oh." He blushed and looked down at the table. "They're really careful about it in Hong Kong, so I just thought-"

"It's true." Yamazaki, who was at the far end of the table, spoke up as though he had been asked a question. "While Hong Kong is considered a 'rabies-controlled' country by the European Union, rabies became such a problem in other parts of China that they enacted a ' _one-dog'_ policy similar to the infamous one-child policy. In fact, one county in Shaanxi province went so far as to declare themselves a 'dog-free' zone, banning the presence of dogs altogether-"

Chiharu grabbed his ear and tugged on it. "That's enough. There are no rabid dogs in Japan, and that's that."

"But if he's not rabid," Rika began, folding her hands and resting them on the desktop, "then what do you think happened?"

"Maybe another disease?" Chiharu suggested, her hand still caught on Yamazaki's ear.

"Or," Naoko added, "he might be possessed by an evil spirit!"

Sakura shuddered. "I'd rather him be rabid!"

"I just hope Pepper isn't in any kind of pain…" Tomoyo looked down at the tabletop, tears lining the edges of her eyes. "When he attacked me earlier, he didn't look _mean_. He looked almost… frightened."

"...Tomoyo…" Sakura placed her hand on Tomoyo's shoulder, feeling her shaking slightly. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Maybe when we're in town today, we can stop by the pet store and get him some dog treats."

"That's a good idea!" Naoko was sitting on the other side of Tomoyo, and placed her hand on the opposite shoulder. "I give my hamster mealworm treats, and it always makes him extra happy."

"Thanks, but…" Tomoyo forced a smile, "...my mother wanted me to come straight home from school today. I'm being picked up once class ends."

"Oh. I see."

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I was looking so forward to this afternoon-"

"N-no, it's fine!" Sakura waved her hands. "I can give you your present now, and we can go some other time."

"If you want to, we can go to my house after school," Naoko offered. "One of the hamster blogs I follow recently posted recipes for homemade pet treats. We can make treats for my hamster _and_ Tomoyo's dog."

Rika gasped. "I've never baked pet treats before. Is it anything like baking for humans?"

The conversation had lightened Tomoyo's spirits, and she managed a laugh. "Well, if it _is_ , I'm sure you'll be good at it, Rika."

Sakura clapped her hands. "That's it, then! We'll bake some delicious treats for Pepper to make him feel better."

"Thank you all," Tomoyo replied with a tearful smile. "I can't wait for him to try them."

* * *

Sakura and her friends walked Tomoyo to the school gates where her family's car was waiting for them. As they got closer, they saw that it wasn't just the car either; Sonomi had come in-person to pick up her daughter.

"Tomoyo! Are you okay? How is your arm?"

"I'm fine, Mom." Tomoyo put on a happy smile. "My friends gave me their notes for this morning's classes, so I didn't miss a thing. And get this! They even said that they'll bake some homemade dog treats for Pepper-"

"Oh, Tomoyo, I'm sorry." Sonomi interrupted her, leaning down to speak with her face to face. "The vets weren't able to find anything wrong with him, so they have no explanation for his sudden, aggressive behavior. He still poses a danger to members of the staff, so... we've been advised to put him down."

Tomoyo's face turned suddenly pale. "What? No!"

"B-but he's always been such a good dog!" Sakura agreed. "This was just one time."

Sonomi shook her head. "He injured four people. Even the veterinarians had to give him a tranquilizer just so that they could examine him. There's not much else we can do."

"C-can't we give him a grace period?" Tomoyo begged, clasping her hands. "Twenty-four hours, at least, just to give him a chance to calm down and go back to normal?"

"Yeah! It's not fair to just give up on him!" Chiharu agreed. "Isn't he a member of your family?"

Sakura looked over to where Syaoran was watching, standing apart from the group and purposefully looking away. She wondered if he was trying to be respectful, or if he was just trying to hide an emotional response.

"I… I'll see what I can do. Let me give the staff a call." Sonomi sighed and retrieved her phone from her pocket, instructing the chauffeur to drive around the block while she waited. There was a moment of silence as the students watched Ms. Daidouji, and finally someone picked up on the other end.

"...Yes, I'm calling about the dog...That's right… Well, I wanted to ask if we could keep him under surveillance for another twenty-four hours before making a dec- yes, yes, I _know_. Yes, my _own daughter_. But considering how long he's been a model guard dog, I feel there may have been some mistake. ...Yes, just twenty-four hours… Yes, I understand… Thank you… Goodbye."

There was a sense of nervousness in the air as Sonomi hung up the phone and turned back to the group. "Alright, we'll wait until tomorrow to make a decision. Let's hope he's feeling more like himself by then."

Tomoyo hugged her mother, finally allowing herself to cry. "Oh, thank you! I knew you could do it!"

"T-Tomoyo, your arm…" Sonomi glanced up at the relieved faces on the girls around her and sighed once again. "Just, be careful. He's in the kennel right now, and I don't want you getting too close. Don't do anything reckless, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Tomoyo nodded and turned back to her friends. "Thanks, guys. I'll see you on Monday, okay?"

The car had come around once again, stopping by the curb to pick up the mother and daughter pair. Sakura and her friends waved weakly, putting on smiles for her. But once the car had driven away, they were able to let their smiles fade.

"...th-that's so sad…" Rika began, her eyes filling with tears. "I know dogs are dangerous, but to just kill one like that… and on Tomoyo-chan's birthday, no less..."

"G-guys, let's not forget, dogs are intelligent creatures!" Yamazaki offered. "In fact, dogs are reported to have an intelligence level comparable a two-year-old human child-"

Syaoran gave Yamazaki a hard pat on the back, cutting off his sentence. "Let's just go to Naoko's place. It's getting hot, and I think we could all use some time to rest."

"R-right…"

The group started walking, but they were silent for most of the way. There was too much to think about.

Syaoran walked in front, so Sakura couldn't see his face, but she could swear he had something in his eye.

* * *

"You know what I bet will cheer us up?" Naoko offered once they'd made themselves comfortable in her living room. She had put the television on in the background, just on low volume to keep the room from going silent, but it still seemed like they should do something to lift their spirits. "We can play with my hamster! How about it?"

The idea seemed to perk up the group, and Sakura smiled. "What kind of games does your hamster like to play?"

"Well… Mayu-chan doesn't usually play _games_ much, but mealworms are his favorite treat, so if I hide them inside a toy, he can sniff them out. Too many will make him fat, though, so I only give him one at a time."

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about little Mayu getting fat," Yamazaki interrupted. "You know that roborovski hamsters can run over one _hundred_ kilometers in a single night-"

Chiharu pinched his arm. "If you're going to be like this, you ought to run a hundred kilometers _away from here_."

Naoko laughed and continued. "He loves sand baths too. I keep a little container of sand in his tank, but when I put him in a big container of fine sand, he goes wild! I'll show you guys."

As she ran over to the hamster cage, Sakura nudged Syaoran and whispered "do you think that was a lie? About the running thing, I mean."

"I don't know. It's a small hamster, right? It couldn't possibly…"

" _OW! Hey!_ "

The exclamation took the two by surprise, and they ran to join the rest of the group huddled around the hamster enclosure. Yamazaki was frantically looking around him and pushed past Syaoran to grab a nearby tissue box.

"Yanagisawa, here!" Yamazaki took a tissue and wrapped it tightly around her finger. Even from where Sakura was standing, she could see a dark red stain starting to soak through.

"What happened?" Sakura gasped.

"D-don't worry. Mayu-chan bit me, is all," Naoko responded with a reassuring smile. "He must've been spooked by all the people around. I'm sorry to scare you."

"First Tomoyo's dog and now Mayu-chan?" Rika frowned, pressing close to Naoko's side. "Does he usually bite like this?"

Naoko shook her head. "Actually, no. He's never bitten me before. Roborovskis are known for their even temperaments."

"Then why all of a sudden…" Chiharu started a question, but she didn't get a chance to finish. Syaoran had been glancing back and forth between the group and the television, and he finally spoke up, pointing back toward the screen.

"Hey, unmute it for a second. They're talking about animal attacks."

Chiharu picked up the remote and turned on the volume. It was a news story, and the reporter sitting at the counter was motioning to a screen behind her showing images of nearby hospitals.

"- _over thirty-five cases requiring hospitalization in the last twenty-four hours, and call lines of Tomoeda's animal control center have been flooded by those reporting less serious injuries. While the CNR program implemented by citizen volunteers has been successful in reducing the growth of the stray cat population over the last decade, their prevalence in the Tomoeda area hasn't diminished. Citizens are asked to remain aware of their surroundings and are being encouraged not to approach stray animals at this time-_ "

"I can't believe it. Have all the animals in Tomoeda suddenly gone crazy?" Rika asked.

"Here's another news story," Yamazaki offered, scrolling on his phone. "It says that local veterinarians have been swamped with people bringing in aggressive pets. Pets are attacking people and each other."

Naoko gasped "So it's not just Mayu-chan and Pepper. But how could they all be affected like this?"

"Do you think it's something in the water?" Chiharu asked. "Or maybe something weird in pet food…"

The conversation continued, but Sakura and Syaoran glanced at one another, a look of understanding passing between them. "You don't think…" Sakura began, and Syaoran shook his head.

"I don't know anything about these Warp Cards, but something is definitely wrong. We should ask someone who knows more."

"Yeah, but we can't just call Stephen with everyone here…" Sakura tossed a glance at the others, who were gathered around Yamazaki, reading from his phone. She cleared her throat and spoke up loud enough for them to hear. " _OH!_ I just got a text message from my dad. He wanted Syaoran to help him out with a project in the back shed before it gets dark today. We should go so that they have enough time to work."

Naoko frowned. "Aw, but you just got here. Don't you want a snack or something?"

"It's okay. Sakura's dad has food for us at her house," Syaoran assured her. "Thank you, though."

"This day has just been one change of plans after another." Chiharu let out a long sigh. "Good luck with that shed, Li. I've heard that Mr. Kinomoto can be a total perfectionist."

"I'm aware of that," Syaoran replied, "but I appreciate the warning."

Yamazaki patted him on the back. "Gotta work hard to butter up your future father-in-law, huh?"

"H-hey, now! That's…"

Syaoran found himself stammering, and everyone laughed in response. Even Sakura couldn't help joining in, though she took Syaoran's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. A little light-hearted teasing was good, especially since they had a serious task ahead of them.

* * *

"Animals becoming aggressive, you say?"

Stephen and Kero were surprised to see Sakura home early, and even moreso to find Syaoran in tow. Kero began to scold Sakura for blowing off Tomoyo on her birthday, but Sakura and Syaoran were quick to fill them in on what'd happened. Stephen thought it over, murmuring to himself as he worked through the situation out loud.

"If that's the case, then it must be… yes, no doubt about it."

There was a pause, and Kero nudged him. "Well? No doubt about _what_?! Don't just leave us hangin'!"

"My apologies, Kerberos, I forget that you all don't have the knowledge of the Warp Cards that I do. It's most definitely the _Feral_ card."

"Feral?" Sakura asked.

"That's right. The Feral is a card that appeals to an animal's deep-rooted instincts. It can return even the most domesticated pet back to the temperament of its wild ancestors." Stephen closed his eyes as he continued. "It was born from one of Warp Neon's most effective war tactics, where he'd turn the enemy's own mounts against them."

Syaoran nodded. "I see. It's no wonder, then, that Tomoyo's guard dog attacked her when she approached him. The card has erased all his domestication and training."

"I have to capture it before it hurts any more animals!" Sakura jumped to her feet, clasping her key in her hands. "What can I do to stop it?"

"Feral is a headstrong card much like Arsenal. If you can get its initial attention, you should be able to bait it into combat," Stephen explained. "But as for luring it out, I'm not sure. It can affect animals within a wide radius, so a decoy wouldn't do much good, plus the task of finding a domesticated animal not already under its control might be difficult."

"Aw, man!" Kero groaned, shaking his head. "Do you have any actual advice, or are you just here to tell us what we _can't_ do?!"

"I-I'm sorry, Kerberos!" Stephen quickly bowed his head in Kero's direction. "I didn't study the cards' weaknesses very hard, if only because I never expected to be fighting them-"

"Don't worry!" Sakura interrupted, holding up one hand. "I have an idea. If Feral comes across an animal within its range that it can't easily control, it should approach to investigate, right? We could lure it in using one of the Sakura cards posing as a pet. Dash is very catlike, Fly looks like a bird, and Jump sorta resembles a rabbit. Once it approaches, I'll use Shield to keep it from escaping and then capture it with the same incantation I used on Arsenal."

Syaoran frowned. "Wouldn't it recognize a former Clow Card, though?"

"...ah, would it?"

Sakura's expression dropped as she spoke, and Kero glanced over at Stephen for a definite answer. Stephen sighed sadly. "Li Syaoran is correct. Even if it doesn't recognize Sakura-sama's magic, the cards' appearances would give them away. It'd recognize them at first sight."

"At first sight, huh?" Sakura leaned back on her bed with a sigh, crossing her arms across her chest. She lay there for a short time, her eyes closed as she murmured "...if it's just the appearance that would give it away, then…"

"Sakura?" Syaoran leaned closer. "What are you-?"

" _That's it!_ "

Sakura jolted back up to a sitting position and clapped her hands. Kero and Stephen both turned to stare at her.

"What's up? You think of somethin'?"

"Yes! I know just how to catch this card." Sakura scrambled to her feet and started rummaging through her bag to find her cell phone. Once she got it, she plugged in the very first speed-dial number and sat quietly, waiting as the other end rang.

" _Hello? Sakura?_ "

"Tomoyo! I'm sorry to ask this of you so suddenly, but can Syaoran and I come visit tomorrow?"

" _Of course. You know the two of you are always welcome. But if this is just about my birthday, I promise that you don't have to worry about it-"_

"It's not just that," Sakura explained. "We've figured out what's causing Pepper and other animals to act strangely."

" _I saw something about it on the news,"_ Tomoyo responded. " _You don't think it's… oh!_ "

"It's definitely a Warp Card. And we need your help to capture it."

Tomoyo's enthusiasm was audible even through the phone. " _Say no more, Sakura! I'll have a fantastic battle outfit ready for you as soon as you arrive! Oh, I can't wait!_ "

Sakura couldn't protest, especially on Tomoyo's birthday. And, to be honest, she was a little excited to see what Tomoyo would come up with on such short notice. "I know that if I'm wearing something you made, I'll definitely be able to capture the card. I look forward to wearing it!"

They exchanged goodbyes and Sakura hung up with a smile on her face. As she did so, Kero flew over so that he was standing face to face with Sakura.

"Well?! Tell us your plan already! We wanna help too."

"C-calm down, Kero-chan." Sakura waved her hands. "It's not complicated or anything. I just realized what we could do to attract Feral's attention."

"Oh?" Syaoran stepped closer, seeing Sakura reach for her pocket. She pulled out the Sakura cards and flipped through them until she found the one she was looking for.

"Even if we can't lure it out with an animal-like card, I'll bet we can get its attention with the help of _this one._ "

No one spoke right away, but an understanding smile passed over their faces.

* * *

It was important that they work quickly, since they only had until one o'clock that afternoon before Sonomi had to make a decision on Pepper's fate. Sakura knew that and she knew Tomoyo knew that, but with Tomoyo so eager to dress Sakura in her latest creation, Sakura couldn't help but humor her.

"It's still summer, so I made the cloak out of a breathable nylon to keep you cool. And the sandals have extra straps around the ankles so that they don't slip while you're running."

Sakura twirled around, admiring the craftsmanship. "It's beautiful, Tomoyo!" Syaoran, however, was a bit more critical.

"Were the dog ears and tail on the cloak really necessary?"

"Of _course_ they were!" Tomoyo chimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Today Sakura is defending the local animal population from a card that's threatening their safety. Of course her costume has to have an animal motif!"

"If you say so…" Syaoran murmured, glancing back to his backpack where Kero and Stephen were hiding. "I don't sense the card nearby. Do you really think it'll notice a target from this far away?"

"Feral, like any good hunter, has extremely sensitive instincts," Stephen replied. "It can identify animals it has come into contact with from even far away. If it senses an animal that it recognizes but can't exert its control over, it will get confused and come out to investigate."

"Makes sense to me," Sakura nodded her head. "Tomoyo, where is Pepper right now?"

"He's being held in the kennel, but there are a bunch of servants there making sure he doesn't escape. It'll be hard to get to him and use your magic."

Kero climbed out of the backpack and stood on Syaoran's head. "What about the Sleep card?"

"Already got it." Sakura held up the card and glanced around before reciting the incantation for her key. The staff appeared in her hand and she tossed the card up, calling its name. "Sleep card! Put the servants to sleep so that we can get in and out of the kennel without being seen! _SLEEP_!"

The card's physical form appeared and flew off, spreading its effects out across the property. Sakura ran after it, around the corner and to the storage building where the kennel was. Sure enough, the women standing outside the door had slumped over and were sleeping supported on each others' shoulders. The rest of the group followed, Tomoyo opening the door to allow the others in. Not only had the card put all the servants to sleep, but it had put Pepper to sleep too, and he was resting peacefully in one corner of the kennel on the remains of a blanket that had been brutally torn to shreds. Stephen jumped out of the backpack and flew over to the gate, looking through it with a sigh.

"Poor thing. I hate what Feral has done to him."

"You mean what Feral made him do to Tomoyo, right?" Kero corrected, still atop Syaoran's head.

"Well, that too, but… one of the biggest differences between feral animals and pets is that feral animals are afraid of humans. If they attack, they do it out of self-defense. And being cooped up like this and surrounded by humans…" Stephen shook his head. "I'm sure this poor dog has been scared senseless."

"I think so too," Tomoyo answered. "When he bit me, I saw it in his eyes. He was terrified. We have to save him."

"We will." Sakura stepped forward, this time holding up a second card. She tossed it up, hitting it with her staff and calling out orders. "Mirror card! Transform into the animal sleeping before you. _MIRROR_!"

Mirror emerged in the form of a large German Shepherd, identical to Pepper in every way. It turned to Sakura, tilting its head as it waited for instructions. Tomoyo gasped, approaching Mirror and petting it on the head.

"You really do look just like Pepper. If Mom saw this, surely she wouldn't put him down…"

"Yes, but just disguising Mirror as him won't solve the real problem," Syaoran replied. "Sakura, if we're going to lure Feral out, we should go back out into the garden so that we're not trapped in a tight space. It'll make us more noticeable as well."

"Right." Sakura led the way back out to the courtyard and the rest of the group followed, with Mirror trotting obediently at Sakura's feet just like a trained dog. Once they arrived in the middle of the courtyard, Tomoyo held up a dog's ball, squeezing it to produce a squeaking sound.

"Let's play with this. If Mirror acts like a real dog, it should get Feral's attention faster, shouldn't it?"

Stephen perked up, floating over to the ball and picking it up in his paws. "How do we play with this?" he asked. "Should I throw it?"

"Yeah. Throw it so that Mirror can catch it."

"...and then what will Mirror do with it?"

"She'll bring it back to you so that you can throw it for her again."

Stephen was quiet momentarily, staring down at the ball in his paws. "What's the point of this game, then? Is it simply an endless loop of catching and throwing?"

Syaoran took the ball from Stephen. "It's a form of exercise," he spoke as he threw the ball up and down in his hand. "Like running on a treadmill, you know?"

"What's a treadmill?"

Kero jumped off of Syaoran's head and snatched the ball from his hand. "It's a human torture device that I'll tell ya about later. Right now let's play some fetch. Go long, Mirror!"

He hurled across the courtyard and Mirror dashed off after it. Sakura watched as the dog gently picked the ball up in its mouth and started back towards them, but Mirror didn't make it all the way back. Instead, it was stopped partway with a yelp, freezing in its tracks. Something had gotten ahold of it, and an unfamiliar magic pulsed around its physical form. Sakura gripped her staff and called out for another card.

" _SHIELD!_ "

"Wait, we're not-"

Syaoran didn't get to finish his statement as a barrier went up around Sakura and Mirror, cutting the two off from the other members of the group. It wasn't a moment too soon either- as Mirror wrestled with the unfamiliar magic, it reverted back to its original form and then disappeared back into the card. Left in the space was the figure of an enormous beast, its head jerking back and forth as it took in its surroundings. The face looked somewhere between that of a wolf or coyote, but the body was more ursine in appearance, and it had a bushy tail that whipped back and forth with an air of annoyance. As soon as it caught sight of Sakura, it took off running, disappearing from view. But it didn't get far before Shield's barrier stopped it and it reappeared, crashing into the side.

Sakura approached it, holding her staff aloft. " _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form conf_ -"

Feral didn't give her the chance to finish. It snarled and lunged at her, cutting off her spell and sending her running. She screamed and Syaoran ran to the edge of the barrier, banging on it with his fist.

"Sakura! Let me in! I can help- _"_

"I-I've got it!" she replied, though it was panted through unsteady breaths. "I've just gotta corner it…"

As she finished the sentence, she realized the problem with what she'd said. Shield had created a circular barrier around the clearing in the courtyard, leaving her no corners _to_ corner Feral into. She was trapped in what was essentially a fighting ring with this massive creature that was gaining closely behind her. She heard it lunge, and she ducked down to see it leap over her and land just in front, baring its teeth. Unable to think of anything fast enough, she dug into her pocket for another card to assist her.

"Fight Card, give me the ability to subdue Feral! _FIGHT_!"

Sakura could feel Fight's power surround her, and as Feral picked itself up and turned back toward her, her body began to move by instinct. Feral leapt again in her direction, and instead of dodging this time, Sakura turned to block the strike with her shoulder and retaliate with a kick to the creature's stomach. It let out a yelp as the kick sent it backwards, but it didn't lose its footing and stepped back into a defensive posture. The thick fur on its back rose up and it bared its teeth in a challenge.

Syaoran slammed his fist on the outside of Shield's barrier. "Sakura, be careful!" he yelled. "Fight can enhance your technique, but if your opponent is physically stronger, you could still get seriously hurt!"

"Could she use Power?" Tomoyo asked in a whisper, having to steady her video camera with both hands.

"She's already actively using both Shield and Fight," Kero replied. "Shecould use three cards at once _in theory_ , but it would seriously affect her ability to concentrate… and with Feral as ruthless as it is, I don't like that idea."

"Then she should take down the shield and let us help!" Syaoran demanded. "Sakura, can you hear us-"

He moved toward the barrier again, but this time Kero grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him away.

"She put up the barrier for a reason, brat! All your yelling is doing is distracting her! Don't you trust her judgement?"

The question gave Syaoran pause, and he took a step back. "...that's…"

Meanwhile, Sakura met Feral's challenge, running towards it with her staff held out as a weapon. It slashed towards her with its claws, and she used the staff as leverage to swing the beast around. She wasn't strong enough to send it flying far, but it did buy her some time to think. The staff was her only weapon at the moment, and she had to figure out how to wield it appropriately. It wasn't any good for wounding the creature, but perhaps she could subdue it. Predatory animals like the kind Stephen had described when talking about Feral had fearsome bite power. If Sakura could get Feral to bite the staff, she could use its strong jaw against it… though the idea was terrifying. She didn't have much choice in the matter, though, as Feral had turned itself around and was doubling back. It leapt again, and Sakura held out her staff against it.

Feral's jaw closed around the handle of the staff, its teeth sinking into the metal. Sakura could feel her face pale in fear, and somewhere in the background both Syaoran and Tomoyo were yelling. But as she forced herself to examine thel creature who held her staff locked in its teeth, she noticed something in its eyes.

They looked familiar… like an echo of her own.

 _Of course! This isn't the card I should be using at all!_

Stephen's words from just a few minutes earlier flew through her mind. Sakura gritted her teeth and held her staff in place as Feral pulled at it. She had just enough time to call on the right card.

"... _Illusion… project the image in my imagination onto my body for Feral to see… ILLUSION!_ "

Rather than slamming the staff against the card, Sakura grabbed the card from her pocket and threw it at the end of the staff. The card activated, throwing its power over both Sakura and the Warp Card, and Feral stumbled backwards in surprise.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Sakura took a tentative step forward. Her grip on the staff tightened, but her voice remained calm. "I'm sorry I scared you. If you just calm down, I can help you. Please, will you allow me that?"

Feral's eyes still held a look of uncertainty, but it took one slow step toward Sakura, and then another. Eventually it gained the courage to approach her, its head tilting to better examine her- or, at least, the illusion that she'd projected for it.

"What's she doing-?" Kero began, but Tomoyo shushed him and pointed to her camera.

Sakura held out her staff in front of Feral and began chanting quietly this time. " _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from my light_. Sakura Card."

As soon as she finished the incantation, Feral was surrounded by a warm glow. Its physical form disappeared into a beam of light that collected into a card shape, and when the glow died down, all that remained in the spot was a Sakura card, the word "Feral" written along the bottom.

Sakura deactivated Shield and Syaoran ran to her side immediately.

" _Sakura!_ When you said you'd trap it with Shield, I didn't think that meant trapping yourself too! Why did you seal yourself off like that? Don't you know how worried we were?" He pulled her into an embrace, which she happily reciprocated.

"I'm sorry, Syaoran. I just didn't want anyone else getting hurt."

"B-but _you_ could've-"

He wasn't about to finish before he was interrupted. The rest of the group had caught up and were eager to embrace Sakura as well, and Syaoran had to step back to avoid getting caught up in it all.

"What did you do with Illusion? How did you manage to calm it down like that?" Kero demanded.

Sakura smiled and glanced over at Stephen. "It wasn't anything complicated. I just remembered what Stephen said earlier."

Stephen pointed to himself. "What _I_ said?"

"Yeah. He said that feral animals are afraid of humans. I realized that the card was just as afraid of me as I was of it, so I used Illusion to project a mirror image of Feral onto myself. Once I no longer looked like a threat, it calmed down."

"Amazing!" Tomoyo gasped. "You're not just a Cardcaptor, you're an animal-whisperer too!"

"I-I wouldn't say that…" Sakura laughed nervously and then turned to Stephen. "So, this card… what can it do now that it's purified? Arsenal had beneficial uses, so-"

"Of course!" Stephen flew over and perched on Sakura's shoulder, leaning over to point to the card. "Feral doesn't just alter an animal's behavior, it sharpens its senses and instincts. You can use it to improve an animal's hearing, eyesight, or even sense of smell without altering its learned behaviors. With this, Tomoyo-sama could have an even better guard dog!"

"Thanks, Stephen, but I think Pepper is just fine the way he normally is." Tomoyo giggled. "Sakura, can I get some still shots of you posing with the new card? The rose bushes over there would bring out the pink in the card and staff perfectly!"

Sakura sighed, unable to argue with Tomoyo's enthusiasm. "Of course. But should we contact your mom first?"

"She has a meeting until twelve-thirty. Let's use the time when the courtyard is empty to get some special Sakura-focus shots! Now that the card is captured, its effects have been nullified, right?"

"Yes, Pepper should be back to normal, as well as all the other animals in Tomoeda," Stephen replied. "Once he wakes up, he'll be back to his old self."

"Then let's let him sleep. He deserves the rest." Tomoyo took Sakura's hand and pulled her toward the corner of the courtyard where the roses were blooming. Sakura sighed, a mixture of resignation and relief, and obediently followed along.

This left Stephen and Kero hovering around Syaoran. The boy was watching Sakura and Tomoyo with rapt attention, but Kero perched on his head and tugged at his hair to get his attention.

" _O-ow!_ Hey, what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? What were you doing?" Kero demanded, leaning down over Syaoran's forehead. "You could've distracted Sakura from her fight with that bloodthirsty card!"

Syaoran frowned. "I was worried about her," he defended. "If she'd have lifted the barrier, I could've helped her subdue it. My magic could have trapped it easily-"

"Yeah, but she used Shield for a reason. Without it, Feral could've gotten away." Kero sighed, straightening up and hopping off Syaoran's head so that he could float in front him and make eye contact. "Sakura has made the decision to capture these cards, and she's doing it her own way. You need to respect her- and that means trusting her experience and magical abilities."

Syaoran's posture tightened, his shoulders hunching and his frown turning up into more of a scowl. "Are you saying I'm not allowed to help the girl I love?"

"No, of course not! There's lots'a situations where Sakura _needs_ your help! But you've gotta know when to step back. I love her too, but I'm not going to question her judgement in situations like this. You shouldn't either."

"You say that," Syaoran began, turning his head away, "but you don't love her the way I do."

"Why you-!" Kero followed, his little hands balling into fists as he flew. "Sakura is my master! My everything! I love her just as much as y-"

" _Kerberos._ "

It was Stephen's voice, calm and low. Both Kero and Syaoran turned back around to look at him, their expressions softening into curiosity. Stephen looked back and forth between them as he continued, making sure they knew he was addressing them both.

"He didn't say he loved her _more_ than you do, Kerberos, he simply said he loves her _differently_. That's not an incorrect statement, is it?"

"No, but-"

"It's true that Li Syaoran ought to have more faith in Sakura's perceptiveness and ability to connect with the cards she's fighting. Watching her capture Arsenal and Feral has made me realize just what makes her such a suitable master for the Clow Cards, and I wouldn't interfere with her methods. But the passion of romantic love can make someone do irrational things. I know that better than anyone. So don't be too hard on him, okay?"

It was a reprimand for both of them, and both Kero and Syaoran looked away, their faces turning slightly red. Before either could offer a rebuttal, the sound of Sakura's voice caught their attention from across the courtyard.

" _Syaoran! Come take pictures with us!_ "

"C-coming!" Syaoran called back, rushing off toward where Sakura and Tomoyo were standing. Kero and Stephen watched them go, the space between them filled with a tense silence. It was Kero who spoke first, his voice uncharacteristically solemn.

"...the passion of love, huh? Is that also the motivation behind your sudden crusade against your master?"

Stephen frowned. "I'm sorry, I don't understand-"

"Are the wellbeing of the Warp Cards and the principle of the mended feud _really_ the reasons behind your request for Sakura to collect the Warp Cards? Or are you simply seeking vengeance on Warp Neon?"

"I-I-!" Stephen started, but he cut off and looked down at the ground. "...at least, I'd like to say that I'm doing this with the Warp Cards and Sakura-sama in mind. I want peace for the cards and for Sakura-sama. But to say that there isn't also a desire to get revenge on Warp Neon… I don't know. I'm not really sure how I feel. All I know is that merging the two magics is _truly_ what I want. That part isn't a lie."

Kero crossed his arms, hovering closer to Stephen so that he could lower his voice. "What you _truly want_ isn't the issue. You're endangering the lives of Sakura and the people she's close to. If the reason behind it is vengeance, you need to rethink it immediately. Otherwise, it'll only be a matter of time before someone else meets the same fate as Chioni."

Stephen was quiet. The light disappeared from his eyes and he fluttered to the ground, landing on a patch of grass and staring down at his paws. Kero considered him for just a moment before finally sighing and turning back around in the others' direction.

"Hey, guys, wait for me! Ya gotta get my picture too! Sakuraaaaa~"

* * *

" _Oh, thank goodness! I'm so glad your dog is okay_!"

When Tomoyo made it to the classroom on Monday morning, she received a barrage of questions from everyone about Pepper. She was happy to report that, after returning to his normal behavior, he'd been placed on a less strict watch and would return to work after a week if he didn't show any more signs of aggressive behavior. To drive the point home, she showed off some of the pictures she'd taken from the previous day- conveniently leaving out the ones involving magic, of course.

"That chew toy is so cute," Chiharu commented, "I don't think I could give it to my dog."

Tomoyo giggled. "That's actually Sakura's plush toy, Kero-chan. Pepper thought he was a chew toy, though!"

"He got Kero-chan all slobbery," Sakura responded with a huff. "I had to wash him after that."

Rika laughed in response. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'm sure that, if any of your stuffed animals got damaged, Tomoyo could repair them."

"Th-that's not the point-"

"Sakura-chan, what a cute costume! I love the little dog ears on the hood," Naoko cooed as she flipped through some other photos. "Tomoyo, did you sew that yourself?"

"Well, of course," Tomoyo responded with a smile. "Here, let me show you one that better captures the adorable tail on the back of the cloak-"

Yamazaki took a step back and elbowed Syaoran. "I'm sure Li is grateful for you always giving Sakura-san cute things to wear."

Syaoran's face went red and he started fidgeting with his hands. "Th-that's not… I mean…" He looked away, avoiding eye contact. "...it's not that I _dislike_ it…"

"Hah! That must mean you really like it, then!" Yamazaki clapped his hands. "You know, the ancient Egyptians made headwear with doglike features too. It was to represent their gods whose appearances were modeled after the African golden wolf. Most notable is Anubis, but the gods Wepwawet and Duamutef are also depicted with wolflike-"

"You know what, Takashi? I think I hear the teacher coming down the hall! Let's get back to our seats before we're marked tardy." Chiharu grabbed hold of Yamazaki and dragged him back across the room. Sakura and Syaoran were left wide-eyed, exchanging a disappointed glance. But with the bell soon to ring, they took their seats as well.

Syaoran pulled out his phone to turn it off before class began, but he was surprised to see a message notification waiting for him. Glancing at the digital clock on the top of the screen to make sure there was enough time, he opened the message.

"Sakura? Tomoyo?"

At the sound of Syaoran's voice, they turned around to look at him. "Yes?" Tomoyo asked.

"Are you two free this coming Sunday?"

"...yeah. I have a cheerleading meet on Saturday, but my Sunday is free."

"I'm going shopping with my mother in the morning, but my afternoon and evening are free. Is something going on?"

Syaoran looked at both of them and nodded.

"I just got a message from Eriol. He wants to talk to us about this Warp Neon guy… and he wants to do it in-person."

* * *

(Thank you so much for reading this far! If you're interested in seeing more of the story, I'd like your input on an important matter. Because of the episodic nature of this fic, the structure has been different from other fanfictions I've written. For me, the ideal length for a chapter is between 3-4K words. These chapters, however, have been running 8-9K, which makes it so much harder for me to get chapters done in a reasonable amount of time. For those reading, I wanted to offer a choice: would you like to continue with longer chapters, having 8-9K word updates every month or two? Or would you prefer they be split up into parts, with 3-4K word updates every week or two? Leave me a comment to let me know what you think. Thanks again for all your support!)


	4. Sakura and the Scary Apartment Building

Thank you everyone for all your kind words about this story! We're thrilled that people have been enjoying it, and will do our best to get updates out as often as we can amidst our busy schedules. It seemed like most people who responded prefer the longer, more sporadic updates, which works well since it's easier for us. So you can be confident that when you _do_ get a new chapter, it'll be substantial.

On another note, we're always happy to hear people's ideas or predictions about where the story is going, or constructive criticism as to how we can better depict the characters and settings to be true to the original source material in the future. But as for the story itself, it is outlined and planned through to the end, **including all the Warp Cards.** Because of that, we're not able to take "requests" for cards or scenarios. However, if this story inspires you, **you should definitely go out and write your own fic so that we can read your wonderful ideas in action!**

Thanks again to everybody for your support! As always, we don't own anything, we're just fans writing some fiction. Please enjoy.

* * *

 **4- Sakura and the Scary Apartment Building**

"…ugh… not only are university textbooks expensive, they're heavy too…"

Sakura had told her dad that she was meeting at a friend's house for dinner tonight. She'd told him a week ago. And yet somehow, right when she was getting ready to head to Eriol's house, Fujitaka had knocked on her door and asked her to deliver a couple of used textbooks to Touya and Yukito's apartment. They lived near the university, which was totally out of her way, but with her father under major pressure with the write-up for his summer excavation survey, she didn't have the heart to refuse. So here she was, dragging a stack of books over to Touya and Yukito's place, hoping that Touya would offer to take her to Eriol's house in his car in return. Tomoyo and Syaoran would be waiting for her, after all.

Their apartment was on the second floor of a complex about two blocks from the university, but since it was so small and the Kinomoto's house was always open to the two, Sakura rarely visited. She took the stairs up and set the books down with a sigh before ringing the doorbell. A pause followed, and then the door opened to reveal Yukito looking back at her with a smile.

"Sakura-chan! Your father told us to expect you. Thanks so much for this- I'll get these books. You come in and sit down. Can I get you some water, or maybe some tea?"

"No, thanks! Actually, I'm meeting some friends on the other side of town, so I really should get going. I'm already late, and-"

" _You're not going anywhere."_

That was Touya's voice. Sakura felt a hand on her shoulder and she twirled around, flailing her arms.

"H-hey! Let go! What gives? This is important, and I can't be la-"

She turned around to look him in the eyes, but as soon as she met his gaze, she stopped cold. There was a seriousness in his eyes that she couldn't argue with. As he continued, the chill in his voice kept her locked in place, staring up at him.

"I know what happened last week. You're hiding things from Dad and from me, aren't you?"

Sakura stiffened. "Y-Yukito? I said not to say anything-"

"You know I can't keep things from Touya!" Yukito defended.

"Don't blame him," Touya broke in, shaking his head. "I was working at the hardware store when Dad came by to buy a patch kit for the drywall. He said that some magical creature had gotten into the house, torn up the couch, smashed the remote, and ripped up the walls in the hallway. I knew Yuki had been over that night, so I asked him about it when I got home."

Yukito blushed and glanced away. "I told him what I could, but I don't know much. The _other me_ wouldn't talk because of your order, so…"

Touya stepped forward, placing a hand on Sakura's head. "Even if he has magical powers now, Dad doesn't know how to use them. He's content to remain oblivious so long as no one gets hurt. But I'm not Dad. No more secrets, no more excuses, no more _stuffed animals-_ " That last word was said with a certain air of frustration. "-I want you to tell me things. I want you to trust me."

Sakura struggled to find the words to reply. She was transfixed by the seriousness in his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat, and it took her a moment to work up the courage to reply.

"...I'll tell you what's going on. Then you drive me to my friend's house. Agreed?"

Touya let out a sigh. "Alright, fine. Sit down on the sofa and we'll talk."

"I'll go start working on dinner!" Yukito volunteered. "Unless, uh, you want to talk to-"

"Go ahead." Touya waved him off. "I want to hear this from Sakura."

"R-right!"

Touya leaned back, making himself comfortable on the sofa, but Sakura stayed sitting upright, her shoulders stiff. Her mind buzzed as she tried to figure out how to explain everything to him. Figuring there wasn't time to provide a roundabout story, she reached into her bag and pulled out the deck of Sakura Cards. She placed them gently on the table in front of them, and motioned towards them for Touya to see.

"There. Have a look."

Touya frowned and leaned forward. "What's this? Some kind of card game? A fortune-telling set?"

"You can't sense their magic?" Sakura asked.

"I can't sense anything since I gave my powers to Yukito, remember?"

"...ah."

There was a moment of silence, and Touya picked up the first card from the top. " _Windy_ ," he read. "I'm guessing this has elemental wind powers. And that's your name, meaning…"

"These are my cards," Sakura explained. "They were created long ago by a magician named Clow Reed, but when he died, they needed to find a new master or they'd lose their magic. I captured each one and transformed them into cards that could draw power from _my_ magic instead of Clow's."

Touya kept a pensive frown as he examined the cards, flipping through them. "So that stuffed animal of yours… is he one of these cards?"

"No. He's one of the guardians who protects the cards and their master. He's ruled by the sun and…" Sakura glanced over toward the kitchen. "... _Yue_ is the guardian ruled by the moon. That stuffed-animal form is just his disguise, like Yukito is Yue's."

"And these guardians," Touya began, setting the deck back on the table, "were they made by this Clow magician too?"

"Yes."

"I see. That's why Yue was losing his powers and Yukito was disappearing. His original master died and he lost his source of magic."

Sakura blushed and looked down at her feet. "I should've been able to support him. But my magic wasn't strong enough yet."

"Well, you were just a kid back then. You're still a kid now. No one should expect you to carry the burden of someone else's life." Touya allowed himself to lean back again. He closed his eyes and sighed. "So what's going on now? You didn't seem to be acting strange while we were in Greece."

"Yeah, it started when we got back. See, there are…" Sakura picked up the deck and flipped to the back, pulling two cards out. "... _these_."

Touya opened his eyes and took them from her. As he examined them, he sat up straighter, a look of surprise passing over his face. "These look different. The writing on the top is Greek. But they're still the same color, and they have your name on them-"

"These were created not by Clow Reed, but by one of his enemies in an attempt to, uh, one-up him." Sakura took Arsenal from him and held it up as she continued. "I was approached by these cards' guardian with a request to transform them into Sakura Cards and add them to my own deck. That way, the two card sets would be merged into one and the feud would end once and for all. This is the card that tore up the house last week. It was the first one I captured, so I didn't really know what to do. But I'm improving. With every card I capture, I'll get more experienced. So you really don't have to worry."

There was another moment of silence. Touya sighed again and handed Feral back to her as well. "It's not your experience that I'm worried about. Obviously you've managed pretty well so far. My problem is tha-"

Before he could finish, there was a scream and a crash from the kitchen. Touya shot to his feet and Sakura followed right behind him.

" _Yukito!_ "

Touya and Sakura both stumbled into the kitchen to find Yukito standing by the sink, the pot of the rice cooker overturned on the floor in front of him. He was staring at his hands, which were obscured by a stain of deep red. Sakura covered her mouth, suddenly feeling sick, but Touya was by Yukito's side in an instant, reaching for a hand towel.

"Yuki, you're bleeding! What happened?!"

"I-it's not-" Yukito began, but he saw Touya about to turn the sink faucet on and reached out to stop him. "Don't!"

"Wha…?"

"It's not mine. That's what I was trying to say." Yukito shook his hands off into the sink, the liquid sliding off and leaving the skin behind a bright red color. "I turned the faucet on to wash the rice and that's what came out. Look."

Sakura lifted the pot of the rice cooker off the floor, finding underneath it a pile of red-stained rice. She could physically feel her face turning a disgusted blue color the longer she looked. "Th-th-that's…"

"Is it really blood?" Touya asked, examining Yukito's hands closer. Sure enough, they weren't injured. Just stained. "You said it came out of the faucet-"

"Try it for yourself."

Touya turned the knob on the faucet, and there was a brief pause before the same thick, red liquid began flowing from it. He reached under the stream and caught some on his hand, pulling it up to his nose to take a whiff. As he did, his face contorted in disgust and he immediately shut off the faucet again.

"What's wrong?" Yukito asked.

"It…" Touya began, shaking his hand over the sink. "...it really smells like blood."

Sakura took a step back, wrapping her hands around her. "I heard about this before from Naoko-chan. They say that ghosts and poltergeists can make blood come out of weird places in houses, like faucets or vents or even walls-"

The more she spoke, the more frightened she got. Touya reached out with his clean hand and grabbed her shoulder.

"Calm down, Sakura. Be realistic. They just built this apartment complex, like, three years ago. There's no way it's haunted. It's more likely this is the effect of one of those magic card things you've been fighting. Right?"

Sakura stopped shaking as she listened, her eyes widening in realization. "A Warp Card? But I don't-"

 _Oh._

"-you're right! I sense it. It feels just like Feral and Arsenal did when I fought them. But I can't tell where it's coming from or what it wants. I should call Stephen-"

She started back toward the sofa to get her phone, but there was a flash of energy and a feathery blur, and all of a sudden her way was blocked by an imposing figure holding out a blood-stained hand.

"I would not be so quick to do that, Sakura."

"Yue!" Sakura jumped back. "Don't just transform like that!"

"We still aren't sure just how much we can trust Stephanos," Yue continued, unfazed by her admonition. "Kerberos told me how you captured The Feral. With both Warp Cards so far, you've succeeded by using your own intuition rather than relying on anything Stephanos says. You should trust yourself. It will leave you less vulnerable."

"...b-but…" Sakura stammered. "Stephen could at least tell us what card it is."

" _I_ will help you determine the nature of this card," Yue answered, looking back over at the kitchen. "These cards were made to mimic the powers that the Clow Cards had. Surely they will have similar properties. We must think. What would cause blood to come out of a faucet like that?"

Sakura shut her eyes, thinking it over. "I don't know, but I might have a way of finding out. Let me try something."

She walked back into the kitchen, calling out the incantation for her key. " _Key of the Star, RELEASE!_ " Once she had the staff in hand, she pulled a card from the deck and held it up. "Watery Card, fill the pipes and flush out all the blood that's clogging them. _Watery!_ "

Touya watched, transfixed, as the card manifested in its physical form and then rushed into the faucet as a stream of water and disappeared. There was a moment of silence and stillness, and then the faucet turned on by itself and began gushing clear water.

"Wow." Touya approached the sink and ran his stained hand under the stream of water. Once he was sure it was safe, he grabbed the hand soap from the dish to the side and scrubbed until all the red stains were gone. "Yue, you should wash your hands too."

"I have no need for-" Yue began, but he looked down at his own hands and frowned. "...ah, perhaps you're right."

"I'll throw out the rice," Sakura offered, kneeling down to where the bloodied rice was spilled on the floor. She was still holding Watery, so she tapped it against the side of the pot and a stream of water pulled the rice back into the pot so that she could dump it into the garbage. It had left a stain on the tile, so Sakura took a paper towel and started scrubbing.

"Here. Use this."

She looked up to see Touya kneeling down next to her, holding out a spray-bottle of tile cleaner and a rag. "Thanks," Sakura murmured, taking them and returning to her work. "I'm sorry about your apartment. These cards are going after _me_ specifically, so the reason it came here was because of me."

"It's not a big deal. I'd rather know."

His words brought a small smile to Sakura's face, and she kept her head bent toward the floor so that he wouldn't see and make some teasing comment. She couldn't place it, but something about having Touya help with a card capture felt nice. After he'd sacrificed his magical powers to Yue, she had felt guilty and worried that he resented her magic. Having his support was unfamiliar, but it assuaged worries that she hadn't acknowledged in years and gave her a warm feeling inside. It was that same warm feeling she'd thought about when Syaoran talked so coldly about his family, and how badly she wanted him to feel that warmth too. Maybe-

"Ah, Sakura?"

Yue's voice caught her attention and she sat up. "Yes?"

"There's something in the sink drain."

Sakura scrambled to her feet, her hands clasped around her staff. "Is it the card?" she asked, her shoulders stiffening as she remembered her conflict with Feral. "Warp Card, show yourself!"

The rattling in the drain grew louder, and Yue adopted a defensive stance between Sakura and the sink. Slowly, an animal's head emerged from the drain, bright green with big, blinking bug-eyes.

"A… frog?" Touya murmured.

It was a bullfrog- a big one- so big that it looked like it shouldn't have fit in the pipe at all. But it clambered out through the drain and sat a moment in the bottom of the sink, examining its surroundings. Unimpressed, it let out a dull croak and sat still again.

"Is that supposed to be one of those magical cards?" Touya asked. "It just looks like a normal frog."

"It _is_ a normal frog," Yue responded. "But there's a hint of magic to it that I can't quite-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the head of another frog popped out from the drain. Sakura jumped back in surprise, watching it crawl out into the sink to join the other. The first one responded with a loud croak, and suddenly there was the sound of a croak from around the corner, on the other side of the apartment.

"Where did that come from?" Sakura asked, glancing back.

"From the way it echoed, it sounds like the bath," Touya answered. He opened the closet on the other side of the kitchen and retrieved a broom. "I'm going to go check."

"R-right."

In the meantime, Yue approached the sink and picked up one of the frogs that had hopped onto the kitchen counter. A few others were still sitting in the sink, and another looked to be crawling from the drain. "It's a normal frog," he observed, holding it up to examine it, "but there's a hint of magic that suggests it didn't originate in this world. This was magically created."

"By a Warp Card?" Sakura gasped.

"It's very likely, yes. But I don't see how the creation of frogs would be something considered _evil_ by Warp Neon. The faucet running blood, perhaps, but-"

Yue's grip on the frog was tightening as he spoke, and Sakura had to step in before he crushed it in his hands.

"H-hey, let go! You're gonna squish it!"

At the sound of her voice, Yue let out a sigh and dropped the frog back into the sink. "Sakura, do you sense more than one card here? The juxtaposition of the blood and… well, _frogs_ seems too great a discrepancy for one card to have created."

Sakura closed her eyes. "...no, I just sense one. It must be the same card. Maybe there's some connection between them that we haven't identified yet. What is it about frogs?"

There was a pause as they both thought it over. Yue spoke first, but his voice sounded slightly different, as if he were speaking without thinking about it.

"Well, frog legs are supposed to be delicious."

Sakura frowned and glanced up at him. "Excuse me?"

A look of surprise passed over Yue's face and he glanced away in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry. That was what Yukito was thinking."

"Yukito?"

"Yes."

"Yukito is conscious? He knows what's going on?"

"He _must_ , to comment on the frogs."

Sakura could feel herself looking back and forth in worry. "B-but I thought Yukito wasn't aware of anything that happened to Yue. How is he-?"

She couldn't finish the question, however, as Touya came scrambling back into the kitchen, broom in hand. His face was flushed, and his clothing was splashed with water.

"Th-there's… there's too many of them…" he panted.

"Too many of what?"

"Frogs, Sakura! There's too many frogs!" Touya used the broom to motion in the direction of the hallway. "They're coming out of the sink, the bath, even the toilet-!"

" _What_?!" Sakura didn't wait to let him finish. She dashed over to the hallway, intent on stepping into the bath to investigate herself. But she didn't make it that far. The hallway was so full of frogs that her path was blocked, and she had to double back. "Th-there's so many of them!"

"That's what I _just_ said!" Touya was by her side in a split second, holding the broom out in front of them to drive the horde of frogs back. "Do you have some kind of card to get rid of them? At this rate, they're gonna ruin the apartment."

"Ah! That's right."

Sakura grabbed her deck and searched for the card she had in mind. As soon as she found it, she tossed it in the direction of the frogs and pointed her staff at it.

"Erase card, get rid of all the frogs in the apartment! _ERASE!_ "

The magic burst forth from her staff and engulfed the kitchen and the hallway, extending into the bath where the frogs were still jumping out. The frogs began disappearing one by one, but soon more and more were being erased at a time until the hallway went empty and quiet.

"...good thinking, Sakura," Yue commented. "Though Yukito is a little disappointed you couldn't save one or two for dinner."

Touya shot him a glare. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"No. It was merely a statement of fact."

"But Yuki doesn't…" Touya started his statement, but his voice trailed off and he sighed, shaking his head. "So what now, Sakura? You've gotten rid of the blood, gotten rid of the frogs- is that it?"

Sakura shook her head, taking a step back into the kitchen. "I don't know. The card hasn't shown its true form, so I haven't been able to capture it. It'll keep creating trouble until I capture and convert it, so I don't think this is over yet."

"Blood, frogs… there must be a connection, but I don't know what it is," Yue murmured. "Perhaps the next challenge will give us a clue."

Touya glanced around the room. "Well, the frogs appeared pretty quickly after you solved the blood problem. But now there's nothing-"

As he said so, there was a loud knock on the door. All three of them froze, glancing over at the entryway. Yue was the first to move, taking a few slow steps toward the door.

"Stay behind me, you two. Sakura, ready a defensive card. We don't know what might enter when I open that door."

"R-right," Sakura nodded, flipping through the deck to retrieve Shield. She held it close to her chest alongside the staff as she watched Yue take hold of the doorknob. She expected him to open it only a crack, but instead he threw open the door in one quick gesture and raised his arms and wings defensively.

* * *

When Sakura found out that she couldn't go to Eriol's house right away, she sent Kero and Stephen on ahead with Tomoyo and Syaoran. It didn't take them long to arrive, and once they did, Stephen was overwhelmed with the grandeur of the place.

"Wow, is this really his house? It's so big!"

"Clow Reed used to live in this house decades ago," Kero explained. "Eriol has converted it into a bed-and-breakfast, so he's had to do some updates to comply with local fire code, but it's still mostly the same as it was back then."

Stephen tilted his head in confusion. "...bed-and-breakfast?" he asked.

"It's like a hotel," Tomoyo explained as Syaoran rang the doorbell. "People pay to spend the night and be fed breakfast the next morning, just like at a big chain hotel. But it's smaller and has a more personal feel than a hotel, so lots of tourists like this better."

"I see," Stephen murmured, with the half-smile he gave when he didn't quite get something, but wasn't going to bother asking again. Kaho's voice had come back over the intercom, inviting them in, so Syaoran opened the gate and motioned them inside. Stephen pointed at the intercom as they passed. "I know that! Sakura-sama explained it to me. There's not really a person in the box, it just transmits the voice of someone who's inside the house!"

"Very good, Stephen," Tomoyo responded with a bright smile. "You're learning so much about the twenty-first century!"

Kero rolled his eyes. "Hey, _I_ didn't hafta be taught nothin'. I adapted to all the newfangled technology right away."

"Well, yeah," Syaoran spoke up, "but you were only sealed away for about thirty years. Stephen was sealed away for over a _century_."

"Oh yeah? Since when did'ya get so chummy with him anyway?"

"I didn't. But I'd rather you not criticize him hypocritically. And you should try to speak standard Japanese when you're around people like Eriol and me. It's hard for non-native speakers to understand you."

"I'll speak however I wanna speak, ya little brat-"

Before the disagreement could turn into a full argument, the front door opened to reveal Kaho and Nakuru. Nakuru leapt out, throwing her arms around Tomoyo.

"Oh, you're finally here! I'm so excited, I've been looking forward to this all da-" She stopped, picking up her head and looking around. "...wait, where's Sakura-chan?"

"She had to go visit her brother," Tomoyo explained. "She'll be here soon."

"Aww! She should've brought him here! I haven't seen Touya or Sakura-chan in soooo long! I miss them!"

"You mean that'cha miss bothering 'em, right?" Kero hopped onto Tomoyo's shoulder, and Nakuru scooped him up in her hands, nuzzling him against her cheek as he loudly protested. Kaho laughed and motioned the group in.

"Please, come inside. We'll sit down and have some tea while we wait for Sakura."

Stephen perched on top of Syaoran's head, offering a bow in her direction. "Thank you for your hospitality, Miss…"

"Mizuki. Mizuki Kaho."

Syaoran reached up and plucked Stephen off his head. "Mizuki-sensei was our teacher in elementary school. She inherited Clow Reed's magic bell to help Sakura with the Final Judgement."

"That's right! Sakura-sama has told me about you. Thank you, Mizuki-sama, for always supporting her."

Kaho's smile wavered slightly as she examined Stephen. "And you are…?"

"Oh, sorry for not introducing myself! I'm Stephanos, the guardian beast of the Warp Cards-"

He was interrupted by a high-pitched gasp from Nakuru. She had finished fawning over Kero and run over to Syaoran. "Ohmigosh, you are _so_ cute! Stephanos? What a totally amazing name! Is it foreign?"

"Yes, it's Greek. But if that's a little wieldy, you can call my Stephen-"

"I'm Ruby Moon! But you can just call me Ruby, if you want. Or Nakuru. Whichever is easier; I like them both."

Stephen thought it over for a moment and finally replied with "... _Nakuruby?_ "

"AAAH, I LOVE IT! AND I LOVE YOU!"

As Nakuru and Stephen shared an overly-cuddly embrace, Tomoyo, Syaoran, and Kero followed Kaho inside. Kero flew to greet Spinel, who was perched on the windowsill. Eriol, meanwhile, was seated in his favorite chair. He looked up and smiled at them.

"Welcome. I wondered if you were ever going to come in. It's too hot to idle outside."

Tomoyo grinned. "We had to get introductions out of the way."

Spinel looked up, trying to push Kero aside. "Introductions?"

"Yes, to-"

"Suppiiiii!" Nakuru called, dashing through the entryway with Stephen in her arms. "This is Stephen! You've gotta meet him, he's sooo cute! He's like you with the pointy ears, but he's got this fluffy tail that's so soft-"

"Ruby, please. You're being too loud."

"But-!"

Eriol stood up, approaching Nakuru and bending down to examine Stephen. "So this is the _Stephanos_ that Syaoran told me about. I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol. It's nice to meet you."

"You're… _that_ Eriol…" Stephen murmured, his eyes growing wide. "I can sense it, just like with Sakura's father… it's Clow Reed's magic…" He suddenly realized that he'd fallen into informal speech and straightened up, a blush coloring his cheeks. "I-I mean-! My apologies Eriol-sama… Clow-sama… uh…"

Eriol laughed. "Just Eriol is fine. I am not Clow Reed any more than you or Sakura are. But I'll happily share what knowledge I have with you. Please, everyone, sit down."

The group went quiet for a short while as they settled down. Kaho poured some tea for everyone, commenting about some mundane topics such as the weather and asking how their grades in math were faring. Finally, once everyone seemed content, Eriol cleared his throat to catch their attention.

"Should we wait for Sakura to arrive? I don't want to leave her out of the discussion."

Syaoran checked his phone to see if he had any messages. "She said to go ahead and start without her, and I don't see anything from her saying otherwise, so…"

"Well, then, I suppose we shouldn't waste your time. Where should we begin?"

Tomoyo glanced over at Syaoran. "I'm not sure what to ask. You're the one who knows the most about magical things."

"I want to know what you know about Warp Neon," Syaoran spoke, keeping his gaze locked on Eriol. "Over the past week, I've been scouring the writings of Clow Reed that my sisters have digitally archived. But I haven't found anything about a sorcerer by that name. The fact that Yue and Kerberos know about him but the Li family doesn't have any information on his is odd. Do you know why that is?"

Eriol closed his eyes and pressed a finger to his temple. "One question at a time, Syaoran. Before we even consider the absence of Warp Neon in Clow Reed's writings, we need to better understand Clow's relation to him. When I first heard that Sakura was involved with magic from Warp Neon, I was surprised. I know a fair amount about Warp Neon from this lifetime, when I was living in England."

"That's right, Stephen did say Warp Neon lived in England," Tomoyo murmured.

"Yes, he was widely known and feared within the occult communities during the time. There were countless reports of clients who commissioned curses from him, but it's said that he only took jobs that suited his fancy, no matter how much money was involved. No one wanted to get on his bad side, but he was known for his short temper and long list of enemies. When he wanted something, no one would refuse him. Even the Reed family, relatives of Clow's father, both respected and feared him. But Clow never lived in England, so this is all information I've gained myself."

"I see," Syaoran murmured. "And what about your memories from Clow Reed?"

There was a pause and Eriol closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair. "Once I heard from you, I scoured all of Clow's memories to find those involving Warp Neon. I went back through all of Clow's life from the time he created the Clow Cards up until his death, and yet…"

"Yet?" Stephen asked.

"And yet… there was nothing. I have no memories of Warp Neon."

* * *

Yue threw open the door in one quick gesture and raised his arms and wings defensively.

"... _hello_? Kinomoto? Tsukishiro?"

His defensive stance immediately fell and his face turned pale. "...a-ah… Hoshi-san…"

Sakura recognized the old woman from an earlier visit. She was wrinkled and hunched over, her hair pulled up into a bun and her glasses perched all the way down near the tip of her nose. She lived in the apartment next to Touya and Yukito, and was always dropping by to borrow kitchen supplies or offer them extra food when she had leftovers. She was quiet for a moment, glancing over Yue, and Sakura could feel her heart beating faster as she waited for Hoshi-san's response.

"...good evening, young man. Are you a friend of Kinomoto and Tsukishiro?"

She also couldn't see very well. Whether she didn't notice Yue's wings or just didn't feel the need to comment on them, she didn't say a word.

Touya stepped forward, and Yue moved back to let him take over the conversation. "Yes, we have guests, so now isn't a good time," he responded. "Is there something you need?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you. I was just wondering if you had any insecticide I could borrow. The biggest cockroach I've ever seen just ran across my floor, and even Cha-chan is too scared to chase after it like he usually does."

Touya let out a sigh. "Well, we don't have any insecticide, but I can go over and kill it if you'd like."

"Would you? You're such a dear, Tsukishiro!"

"... _I'm Kino_ \- er, nevermind. Just show me where you saw the bug, and I'll see if I can find where it's hiding."

"Of course. And don't worry, this one is far too big to hide anywhere."

That statement got their attention. Sakura looked at Touya and Yue in turn, and held on tighter to her staff. "I can go first," she offered.

"No, I said I would," Touya replied with a shake of his head. "You two just stay close, alright?"

"Yes!" "Alright."

Ms. Hoshi chuckled as she watched the three of them file out the door. "My, you're all very organized for such a small task. You could start your own exterminator business."

"It's more like an exorcism…" Touya murmured under his breath as he reached for the doorknob of Ms. Hoshi's apartment. He opened the door just a crack, not expecting anything to jump out right away.

That expectation led to an awfully unpleasant surprise.

As soon as the door opened, a swarm of roaches began to pour from it, some of them immediately spreading their wings and flying to get away. Touya yelped and jumped back, sending the door slamming open and releasing an even larger mass of roaches from the entryway.

"E-ERASE!" Sakura screamed, holding the card and staff up over her head desperately. "ERASE, ERASE, ERASE!"

Slowly, the roaches began to disappear, until eventually the doorway cleared, and they could see into Ms. Hoshi's apartment. Sakura sighed in relief, but she perked up again as she saw Touya enter the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to check her apartment, just in case. I don't want to have missed anything."

Sakura glanced over at where Yue had been standing, but he was already following Touya into the apartment as well. She sighed and ran after them, with Ms. Hoshi tagging along behind her.

"I don't know what spray you just used on those little buggers, but it was sure effective!" Ms. Hoshi chimed. "Thank you so much for your help. Would you like some cookies? I baked them fresh just this morning."

Sakura silently thanked her luck that Kero wasn't with them- if he knew they'd been offered cookies, he'd be too jealous. "That's very kind of you," she answered. "Thanks for the the offer, but-"

"Yes, we will take some cookies."

Both Sakura and Touya looked immediately over at Yue. "You…" Touya began, "...you don't eat, though… right?"

"Correct, but I still desire them."

Sakura frowned, a feeling of unease passing over her. It was the same feeling she'd had when Yue spoke Yukito's observations earlier, but this time more pronounced. Was he really asking for cookies for himself? He'd never done anything like that before-

"Here you are," Ms. Hoshi said, handing Yue a covered tray. "Take as many as you like. Don't be shy."

"Thank you," Yue responded, taking hold of the tray cover. However, as he lifted it up, a dark, swirling mass began to spill out from underneath, and he dropped the tray entirely. If there had once been cookies there, they were now gone, replaced by a buzzing swarm of flies that surrounded the group. Sakura gasped in surprise, but when she opened her mouth, she got a mouthful of flies and was left coughing and spitting wildly. Touya was flailing his arms in an attempt to keep the flies away from his face, but Yue was staring at the empty tray with a frown. "...this displeases me," he murmured.

Sakura managed to find her voice after coughing out as many flies as she could. "E-ERASE!" she stammered, and the card's power filled the room once again. With insects as small as the flies, it took no time at all for Erase to get rid of them, and within seconds, the group was left in an empty, silent room, with only the echoes of the buzzing ringing in their ears.

"I really ought to get a new TV," Ms. Hoshi commented. "This one has too much static."

Touya rested his face in one hand. "Thank god she's too senile to question any of this." He turned around to examine Sakura. "Are you alright? Is using this much magic draining your power?"

"No, I'm fine. The cards draw power from me constantly, so using them isn't a strain," she answered, waving one hand. "I just… now I'd _really_ have liked one of those cookies. Yuck."

Touya laughed, patting Sakura on the head. "Don't worry- I'll get you something tasty when we get back to our place. Should we go-?"

He was cut off by an odd sound from one corner of the room. The group looked over to where an elaborate cat tree stood, and a large orange tabby was perched on one of the lower levels, bent over in a hacking fit.

"Cha-chan?" Ms. Hoshi asked. "What's wrong dearie? Are you having another hairball?"

"Do you think he swallowed some flies too?" Sakura asked, looking over at Touya and Yue. The two of them exchanged a glance between them. Touya shrugged, and Yue replied "it's possible, but I wouldn't worry about it-"

Just as he said that, Cha gave one last, loud hack and vomited over the side of the cat tree, collapsing onto the platform as though his legs just gave out. Sakura gasped and covered her mouth so that she could approach to examine him.

"Wh-what happened…?" she murmured. Touya stepped over beside her and bent down to look at the cat.

"I've seen this before when I worked part-time at a veterinarian's office. He's really sick- look at how ragged his breathing is."

"Cha-chan, are you alright?" Ms. Hoshi asked. "He was just fine earlier. I can't imagine he'd get sick so quickly…"

"The card!" Sakura gasped. "We've gotta do something!"

"Do you have something that can cure illness?" Touya asked.

"No, I don't…" Sakura thought it over for a moment and then snapped her finger. "Wait! I remember something Stephen said last week! Here!"

She flipped through her deck again and pulled out the Feral card, holding it against her staff. Before she could begin an incantation, however, Yue stepped in and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Is this wise, Sakura? You may have transformed it into a Sakura Card, but even so, it may be dangerous to use a former Warp Card in any capacity-"

"No!" Sakura answered with a shake of her head. "I know my cards, and Feral is one of mine now. I know it won't hurt Cha."

"If you're so sure, then…"

Sakura didn't even wait for him to finish. "Feral! Strengthen Cha-chan's immune system so he can fight off the infection! FERAL!"

The card was illuminated, and at the same time, Cha appeared to have a glow around his body. Within a few seconds, the glow disappeared and he stood up again, shaking off and jumping up to a higher level on the cat tree.

"Oh, there he goes! I guess he wasn't sick after all." Ms. Hoshi smiled. "Thank you all for your concern, though. I'll clean up after his little mess. You can head back and attend to your guests now. I'm sure Kinomoto is waiting for you next door."

"... _I'm_ Kinomoto…" Touya murmured, though he didn't try very hard to correct her. "Sorry about the trouble. We'll go now."

They filed into the hallway, closing the door to Ms. Hoshi's apartment behind them and following Yue's lead back to Touya and Yukito's place. As Yue closed the door behind them, Sakura sighed and collapsed on the couch.

"First frogs, then roaches and flies, and Cha-chan getting sick… what kind of card _is_ this?"

"Don't forget the blood," Yue offered.

"Yeah, that too. I don't get it. We've fixed all these weird, unrelated problems, and yet the card hasn't stopped or shown itself. How much more do you think is left before it gets tired?"

Yue stood beside the couch, leaning on the armrest. "There is a pattern, at least. Every _problem_ , as you called them, has occurred independently of one another. None has appeared until the problem before it is neutralized. Whatever this card is doing, it's an established process and may be happening in measured steps. Touya, what do you-" He stopped and looked up as he noticed Touya moving toward the hallway. "-where are you going?"

"Oh, I-" Touya stopped and looked back at him, rubbing the side of one arm. "-I think one of those flies bit me. I was going to get some disinfectant."

"Bit you?" Sakura stood up, but as she did, she felt a stinging sensation at the back of her neck and slammed her hand over it instinctively. There was a noticeable bump there, and as soon as her hand touched it, a burst of pain shot through her skin. " _Ow!_ What the…?"

"You too?" Touya stepped back into the room, approaching Sakura and showing off his arm that was covered in red welts. "I have one here and here, and- agh, I didn't see that one! Where are these even coming from? You got rid of all of the-"

" _It's the card_."

Yue's voice interrupted, and he stepped in between Sakura and Touya, rolling up one sleeve to show off his own blistered skin.

"This body doesn't have histamines that would react to insect bites. These were not from the flies. It must be something the card is doing to us."

Sakura stood up, already feeling the stinging sensation spreading down her arms. "I don't have any cards that can give medical treatment, and Feral won't work on humans…"

Touya cringed. "Ugh, it feels like it's burning. While you're thinking this over, I'm going to get an ice pack from the freezer-"

"An ice pack! That's it!" Sakura gasped. She painfully fumbled for the cards and flipped through them once again. "Here we go- Freeze, surround our injuries and treat them with cold therapy. _FREEZE!_ "

Freeze appeared in its physical form, and curled around each of them, surrounding them with cold air. Sakura sighed in relief as she felt the pain on her arms and neck disappearing.

"Clever fix," Yue murmured. "Clow Reed used Freeze for a similar purpose when his family members were feverish."

Sakura nodded. "That's a good idea. I'll remember that!"

"So that's fixed, I guess," Touya said, glancing around. "But whatever-it-is still hasn't revealed itself. Are all your captures this convoluted?"

"Not really. Many of them were simple." Sakura began to flip through her deck again. "And they never had me solving multiple problems at once- at least, not with one card. What _is_ this-"

As she said that, the sound of rain against the windowpane started up, growing in intensity as the group glanced over toward the balcony. Touya dashed toward the door with a yell.

" _Our laundry!_ "

"It was not predicted to rain this evening," Yue commented as he followed after Touya. "Could this be-?"

"Quit talking and help me out here, would ya?"

"Y-yes, of course." Yue sighed and stepped out onto the small balcony beside Touya, removing clothing from the line and handing it inside to Sakura. By the time they got everything in, both they and the clothes were drenched, and Touya asked Sakura to run to the bath and get them some towels."

She stumbled down the hallway, her mind buzzing as she tried to figure out how this could be related to the card. As Yue said, there hadn't been rain on the weather prediction this evening- in fact, it was supposed to be clear all week. There were, of course, cards that could create rain and storms, but this situation was different. If the rain truly was an effect of the card, it further complicated the situation. What kind of card was this anyway?

As Sakura made her way back into the main room with the towels, there was a deafening crack of thunder, and the lightning outside lit the whole apartment momentarily.

"Th-that's so loud!" she complained, handing the towels over to Touya and Yue. "The storm must be right over us-"

Another bolt of lightning and crack of thunder cut her off, and before she could say anything else, Yue broke in.

"That's it," he said, a sense of conviction in his voice.

"What's it?" Touya repeated. "Have you figured something out?"

Yue shook his head. "I have not, but…"

" But-?" Sakura asked, but instead of elaborating, Yue took a step back and transformed, disappearing in a flurry of feathers and Yukito appearing in his place. It took a moment for Yukito to orient himself, but once he realized what was going on, he gasped and ran to Sakura's side.

"Sakura-chan, that's it! I know what this is!"

"Yukito?" she asked in confusion. "You've seen what's been happening? But how?"

"I don't know," he replied with a shake of his head. "It was like I was dreaming; like I was watching things happen from someone else's point of view. All of a sudden, I could see what the other me was seeing. But that's how I know… these are the ten plagues!"

"Plagues?" Touya repeated. "Wait! You mean, like, from our world religions class last year? The plagues of Egypt? You remember those?"

Yukito nodded. "I remember them perfectly! First, the Nile turned to blood, then frogs rose up from the water, and after that, swarms of flies and other insects-"

Another loud clap of thunder interrupted him, and he waited until it had passed to continue.

"The animals got sick, and then humans got sick with rashes and boils. Then there were major storms with thunder and lightning. Don't you see? Each of the card's challenges has been one of the ten plagues of Egypt written about in the Hebrew Bible!"

Sakura's eyes widened, and her mouth turned up into a big smile. "Yukito, that"s… that's it! No wonder the card hasn't shown itself yet- we've only gotten through six so far!" She held up her staff, her grip on it tightening. "All we have to do is get through all ten, and then the card will definitely show itself! First, I'll use Windy to blow the storm clouds away and then-"

" _Wait!"_ Yukito broke in. "You can't do it that way!"

"What? Why not?"

Touya frowned, glancing over at Yukito. "Because of the last plague, right?"

Yukito nodded his head.

"The tenth and final plague… was the death of every firstborn son."

A silence followed, punctuated by a well-timed clap of thunder. Sakura felt herself tense up and she looked over at her brother. "...Touya…"

"There has to be another way to reveal the card's true form," Yukito said. "We can't risk letting it hurt Touya."

Sakura glanced around, unsure of what to do. "Well, what plagues came next?" she asked. "Maybe we can use them to our advantage."

Touya looked toward the window. "The storms are the seventh plague, right?"

"Yes," Yukito answered with a nod. "Then came swarms of locusts-"

"Not more bugs!" Sakura yelled without thinking, and then slapped a hand over her mouth as she noticed the other two staring. "Well, at least I know how to get rid of something like that. But I don't know if that will be useful. What's the ninth plague?"

"Darkness." Yuktio pointed up at the ceiling light overhead. "In the story, the entire sky grew dark, though the card may just knock out power out."

"Darkness, huh?" Sakura though it over for a moment. "I could fix that easily with the Light card, but I don't want to do that unless I know the Warp Card isn't going to go after Touya…" She stopped, suddenly remembering something Stephen had said the week before. "Wait, that's it! I have an idea- but you're going to have to do what I say and trust me. Alright?"

Touya and Yukito glanced at one another, both appearing hesitant. Finally, Touya sighed and stepped toward Sakura. "Alright, what do you need me to do?"

"A-are you sure, Touya?" Yukito asked. "I mean, I trust Sakura-chan, but even so… you can't… I mean, I can't…"

Touya reached out and affectionately pinched Yukito's cheek. "Hey, take it easy. I'm not going anywhere. You said that you trust Sakura, right? So then trust that she knows what she's doing."

Yukito blushed and nodded, pulling away from Touya's hand. "I-I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I shouldn't have doubted you."

"It's okay," Sakura answered, taking hold of one of his hands. "I know you're scared for Touya, but I won't let him get hurt." She stepped back and flipped through her deck until she found the card she was looking for. Sakura tapped it against her own chest and then held it out in Touya's direction. "Here. Hold this."

"Okay…" Touya began. "What should I do with it?"

"Just hold it. Don't let go of it." Sakura motioned toward the window with her staff as another clap of thunder rolled through. "I'm going to get rid of the storm, and then the bugs. Once everything turns dark, I need you and Yukito to stay absolutely still and absolutely quiet. No matter what happens, don't make a sound. Got it?"

Touya glanced down at the card in his hand, and his expression became even more confused. "But this card is…"

"Don't worry about the card," Sakura interrupted. "Just trust me. Stay quiet. Alright?"

Touya sighed and nodded his head. "Alright, whatever you say, Sakura. Just be careful."

"I will."

As she said that, she pulled the Windy card from her deck and activated it with her staff, calling upon it to drive away the storm clouds. Windy's physical form appeared in the room and then rushed out the balcony door into the sky, and within seconds, the clouds began to dissipate, revealing the starry sky behind them. Sakura smiled and pulled her staff back in close to her chest.

"Alright, now all we have to do is prepare ourselves for those… what did you say they were, Yukito?"

"Locusts," Yukito replied, "though the insects before weren't quite the same as those mentioned in the original myth, so we may have to look for some other insect entirely."

"The locusts were considered a plague because they ate all the crops, right?" Touya asked. "Maybe we should keep an eye on the fridge or pantry, just to make sure our food isn't being targeted-"

He didn't even get to finish his sentence before Yukito went running for the kitchen. " _Not our food_!"

"H-hey, watch out, will you?" Touya sighed, following Yukito into the kitchen and motioning for Sakura to follow. As she got there, she could already hear Yukito yelling.

"No, no! Get out of there! That's _our_ food!" As Sakura entered, he turned on his heels and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Sakura-chan, please, you've gotta get rid of all the ants in the fridge! Don't let them ruin our food!"

"R-r-right!" Sakura stammered, fumbling for the Erase. "Just… remember what I said about the darkness, alright? Stay quiet, and-"

"Yes, yes, we've got it! Hurry up with those ants, will you?"

The inside of the refrigerator was a horrible sight, the few food items in it swarming with a dark mass of ants. Sakura had to fight back the urge to run away just looking at it, but she knew that they weren't going to be able to capture the card if she didn't do something. "E-Erase!" she called. "I know you must be tired by now, but please, we just need you to get rid of those ants!"

As with all the insects before, Erase's power started slowly and then accelerated until there was nothing left but the remains of the food that had been in the fridge. Yukito took a step toward it to examine what was still there, but before he could get to it, the refrigerator door slammed shut and all the lights in this apartment turned off.

Sakura had expected there to at least be some light coming from the windows, but either the card had blocked them, or it had caused a power outage all over the city. She was relieved that she'd set the Light card aside beforehand, as all she had to do was grab it from her pocket, and hold it up to her staff. "Light card," she began, "use your power to fill the apartment and get rid of the darkness-"

As she said this, another voice sounded from across the room, yelling over her incantation.

" _Sakura! Watch out! Be careful!_ "

It was Touya's voice.

"-LIGHT!" she finished, and the room was suddenly illuminated with a light so blinding that, for a few seconds, no one could see what was happening.

As the brightness of the room fell back to normal and the view of the situation became clear, Sakura found herself gasping in horror.

"Oh no!"

The Warp Card appeared at first translucent, almost like a specter, but it materialized completely at the sound of her voice. It was a humanoid figure, cloaked in dark rags, its body nothing more than a skeleton. The bones were humanlike, up to the head, which looked to be that of a ram or mountain goat. There was a change in its posture and the grip on its scepter loosened as it turned to examine the situation, realizing just what had happened.

The scepter had exuded a dark cloud of mistlike substance that surrounded and clung to its target, beginning to eat away at its physical form. Sakura's face turned pale as she watched the familiar figure beginning to disappear within the cloud.

"No! _Voice!"_

The Voice card was curled up, a look of pain on its features as it fought against the Warp Card's attack. Touya and Yukito stood back, both watching in awe at the two unfamiliar figures. Before either of them could move, Sakura jumped into action, not wanting to risk Voice's safety any further.

" _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from my light! SAKURA CARD!"_

The transformation was as fast as it had been with Arsenal and Feral, the card's form dematerializing and reappearing in the familiar image of a Sakura Card. At the bottom, the English word "Plague" appeared, and the image showed the same ragged, skeletal figure. Sakura didn't take too much time to examine it, however, instead running to where Voice's physical form had fallen to the floor.

"Voice!" she gasped, reaching out to help it sit up. "Are you alright?"

Voice offered her a smile in reply. "I'm okay," it replied, still with Touya's voice. Its words were spoken confidently, but Sakura pulled it into a tight hug anyway.

"I'm so sorry for putting you in danger like that. You saved my brother. Thank you."

Voice nodded and then dematerialized from her arms, its magic returning to the card that Touya was still holding. Once it had returned, the card floated from his grip and returned to Sakura.

"That… that thing had my voice," Touya spoke. "I couldn't talk even if I'd wanted to."

"So that's what you were up to," Yukito observed, sitting down on the floor next to Sakura. "And why you wanted us to be quiet. You needed Plague to think that Voice was actually Touya."

"Stephen said before that the Warp Cards can't recognize the former Clow Cards' auras because they're made with my magic now. That's how I knew I could trick the card if it was dark. I just wish I didn't have to put Voice in danger like that…"

Touya crossed his arms. "You talk like they're real people. They're not just tools that you use?"

"No!" Sakura shot back, jumping to her feet. "Every one of these cards is a unique individual! They're all my friends, and they always support me! That's why I have to take care of them."

"The one that you just captured-" Yukito broke in, standing up again beside her. "What about that one?"

Sakura took another look at Plague, this time really examining it and feeling the magic that it held. "...yes. By capturing and transforming it, I was able to purify the card. It's not evil anymore. As long as I support it with my magic, it can now fight for good."

There was a pause and the room went quiet, all three of them considering the situation. Touya finally sighed and plopped down on the sofa. "But its powers haven't changed, right? It's still going to create all those horrible effects…"

"But the plagues weren't necessarily all bad," Yukito offered. "They were brought down by the Hebrew God to free those enslaved by the Egyptians and lead them to the Promised Land. I'm sure that, now that it can fight for good, the card can be used for liberation and freedom. Right, Sakura?"

Sakura placed the card back in the deck, and hugged it close to her chest. "Yeah," she replied, holding back tears. "It can."

Touya let out another long, tired sigh. "It's no wonder you were always so out-of-it back in grade school. Capturing these things is really tiring."

" _You're_ tired? I'm the one who did all the magic!"

Yukito laughed, and then looked over at the clock by the hallway. "It's getting late. Sakura-chan, didn't you say you were planning to visit a friend tonight?"

Sakura looked over at the clock as well and yelped in surprise. "It's already that late?! They must be worried! Where's my phone-" She stumbled over to the table where she'd placed her purse and rummaged through it for her smartphone. As soon as she turned it on, she was met with a barrage of notifications. "Oh no! They've been texting me this whole time! I've gotta get over there-"

Touya pulled himself up from the couch and patted Sakura on the head as he walked past her. "Alright, come on, then. I'll drive you."

"Really?"

"I promised earlier, didn't I?"

"Oh, th-that's right. Thank you! ...for everything."

Touya just smiled and shook his head. "Thanks for letting me be a part of it."

* * *

"What do you mean, you have no memories of Warp Neon?" Syaoran demanded. Kero jumped up onto his head, giving his hair a tug.

"Whadd'ya think he means, kid? He means exactly what he said!"

"I _know_ that! What I meant was-"

Eriol cleared his throat, cutting the two off. "Syaoran is right to ask. It isn't that the memories do not exist, but simply that I do not have them. There are gaps in my memory of Clow Reed's life, all during a limited period of time. I remember Stephanos, but I do not have the memories that connect him to Warp Neon."

"That's impossible," Stephen broke in. "I mean, how can you remember me and not Warp Neon? I existed solely to serve him. Without him, my existence had no… er, I mean… not to sound like I was blinded by loyalty to him, but-"

"You were," Kero spoke, sliding down onto Syaoran's shoulder. "That's the reason you tried to _kill_ Clow Reed."

The room went quiet. Tomoyo and Syaoran stiffened, glancing warily over at Stephen. Even Nakuru seemed to momentarily loosen her affectionate hold.

"That… can't be true… right?" Tomoyo asked.

"It is true." Eriol closed his eyes and offered a nod. "That, I remember. Stephanos came to Clow Reed's estate, seeking revenge for… something. Keroberos and Yue were able to hold him off while Clow Reed spoke to him about the nature of his concerns. I do not recall what was said, only that it turned out to be a misunderstanding. But by the time they established that, Stephanos had already done considerable damage to Keroberos and Yue. Clow Reed sacrificed a large portion of his magic to save their lives that day."

Kero spoke up again, his gaze fixed on Stephen. "Don't think I don't remember that day. Yue and I will never forget the look in your eyes as you attempted to murder us in cold blood."

"K-Kero-chan-!" Tomoyo gasped, one hand flying to cover her mouth and the other reaching for Syaoran's shoulder to hold Kero back. But Stephen interrupted before Tomoyo could get in a scolding.

"He's right. I won't deny my feelings that day. I was blinded by passion, by grief and a desire for vengeance. Warp Neon killed someone close to me and blamed it on Clow Reed. And not only did I fall for his trick, I almost committed a grievous sin because of it. I will never ask forgiveness from Kerberos, Yue, or any incarnation of Clow Reed. What I did to them deserves no mercy. I only ask that they allow me to make things right by ending the feud and uniting the cards."

A silence followed, tense and palpable. Tomoyo's gaze was focused down on her lap and Kaho was carefully watching Eriol's expression, but everyone else had their eyes locked on Stephen.

Finally, after the silence had engulfed the room several times over, Eriol spoke up again.

"I am not Clow Reed. You have not wronged me personally, so there is nothing for me to forgive. But trust still must be earned, and I can't say I've seen or heard enough to pass judgement on you in this lifetime."

"I-I don't expect you to trust me- any of you!" Stephen jumped forward, scurrying across the table to stand in front of Eriol and gesturing to the whole group. "For now, all I ask is that you believe me when I say I've betrayed Warp Neon once and for all and desire nothing but the union of Clow and Warp's magics through Sakura-sama. Let me do what I can to help her, _please_."

There was a silence again. Spinel sighed from his spot on the windowsill.

"He speaks eloquently, Eriol. It's clear he's given this a lot of thought."

"But magical beings don't just _betray_ their masters," Eriol murmured, shaking his head. "If you truly wish to go against your creator's wishes, it's clear that your allegiance lay elsewhere to begin with. Whose wishes are you following?"

Stephen was quiet, and the room fell silent with him. He kept his gaze locked on the floor, but managed to speak up.

"...I wouldn't say that it's Chioni's _wish_..."

"Whose?" Nakuru asked, scooping up Stephen in her hands.

"Chioni Helene," Kero spoke up. "She was his partner, the first guardian of the Warp Cards."

Tomoyo nodded. "I was wondering if there was another guardian. I thought perhaps because Stephen doesn't get his powers from the sun or moon, he didn't need a partner. But that seems awfully lonely…"

"It's true that I don't _need_ a partner, necessarily," Stephen replied with a shake of his head, settling comfortably in Nakuru's arms. "But Chioni was my first and dearest friend. She was everything to me. She was… was…"

A small gasp escaped Tomoyo's lips. "...your most important person."

"Yes. She was my number one."

"And-" Syaoran broke in. "-she was the one that Warp Neon murdered."

"Yes, again. I'm sure you've read about that incident in your family history, Li Syaoran."

"Actually I haven't. This is the first time I've heard of her." Syaoran's face reddened. "I just assumed that the only person whose death could drive you to such madness would be someone who held a great deal of your heart."

Stephen frowned and tilted his head. "That's true, but you should have records of it in your family history."

"We have no records of Warp Neon, it seems. They must've been erased just like Eriol's memories- _if_ they existed at all."

"They must have-" Stephen began, but he stopped himself. "Sorry, now isn't the time to be arguing. We should be focusing on Sakura-san and the cards."

Eriol nodded. "I agree. Li, Daidouji, have you heard from her? It's not like her to be this late."

Syaoran and Tomoyo both paused and pulled out their phones to see if there were any unread messages. Syaoran found his inbox empty, and while Tomoyo scrolled through several new messages, her eyes never lit up the way they did when she received something from Sakura.

"No, nothing." "No messages from Sakura."

"I got nothin' on my end either," Kero examined his own phone and shook his head. "Here- I'll send her a text."

Syaoran sat up straighter, already starting to type on his own phone. "Hey! I'll do it!"

Tomoyo gave an amused laugh as she watched them, holding her phone up to her ear and waiting a moment before speaking. "Sakura-chan? It's Tomoyo. We're all at Hiiragizawa's house and we're starting to worry. When you get the chance, please call back to let us know you're okay. Thanks."

Stephen perked up and looked over at Tomoyo. "You talked to her?"

"No, I left a voicemail."

"Voice… mail…?"

"When someone can't answer their phone, the caller can leave them a message to listen to later. That way they know what the call was about."

"Yeah!" Nakuru chimed. "I leave Touya and Yukito messages all the time!"

"Fascinating." Stephen's eyes sparkled. "Twenty-first century technology truly is phenomenal!"

Syaoran cleared his threat and interrupted. "I'm worried about Sakura. Nakuru, could you give me her brother's number. I'm sure he won't answer if he sees it's you calling, but maybe I can get up with him."

Nakuru pouted. "Won't answer if he knows it's me? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, does he ever answer your calls?"

"No, but-"

"Just give him the number already," Spinel scolded. "Honestly, you're all acting so juvenile."

"Hmph. Fine, then." Nakuru stood up and motioned toward the staircase. "My phone is up in my room. I'll go get it- hold on."

As she left, Eriol looked over at the others. "While she's retrieving that, may I ask some more questions?"

"Of course," Tomoyo answered. "What do you need to know?"

"While I don't have memories of Warp Neon, I remember Stephanos and the cards that he guarded. What cards has Sakura captured already?"

"She's captured Feral, and…" Syaoran, looking over at Tomoyo for confirmation, "...Arsenal."

"Right. Just those two."

"I see." Eriol closed his eyes and thought it over. "I don't remember those two specifically, but I recall the cards being powerful. I doubt that either of them was an easy capture."

"I'll say," Syaoran replied. "I wasn't there when she captured Arsenal, but when she captured Feral, it looked like she was in real danger."

"Arsenal too," Kero added. "These cards don't pull any punches. They're bloodthirsty, and from what Stephanos said, it sounds like it's only going to get more difficult for Sakura. That's why I don't like the idea of her capturing these cards."

"But what would she do instead?" Kaho asked. "They're targeting her because she's the new Clow master, correct?"

"She could, in theory, simply destroy them," Eriol replied. "She has the power to do that, even if the cards are still in hiding. Drawing them out and making them reveal their true forms in order to be captured is far more dangerous. And besides that, adding cards to her deck will further strain her magical powers. She is stronger now than she has ever been, but even so, these new Sakura Cards will drain her energy in the same way that converting the original Clow Cards did."

"I don't ever want to see her exhausted the way she was back then," Syaoran said, his expression stern. "And I don't want to see her in danger the way she was when fighting Feral."

"B-but Li Syaoran…" Stephen stammered. "...the cards… she can't just abandon them…"

"That's right! Sakura-chan said herself that she wanted these cards to know what it was like to have a loving master!" Tomoyo added. "She refused to just destroy them. Even with the added risk, it's in Sakura-chan's nature to want to help. That's just how she is."

"That's…" Syaoran stammered and looked away. "...true."

Kero floated over to the table and stood in the middle, addressing the whole group. "Sakura vowed to capture these cards, and Yue and I gave her our blessing that we'd support the decision that she made. Whether or not we agree with it, we stand by our master. We'll do everything we can to support and protect her. But that doesn't mean we won't keep trying to change her mind should the situation change."

"I'm not worried," Stephen replied, moving to stand next to Kero. "Sakura has her friends by her side, after all. She has…" He paused and continued, gesturing at the group but looking at Kero. "... _all y'all._ Is that right? Did I get it right?"

Kero let out a long-suffering sigh. "Ya don't gotta do the accent when we're talkin' about something important, y'know."

"Yes, but then how will I learn it?" Stephen chimed in reply. "I mean, uh, how'm I gonna learn it?"

Tomoyo giggled and Syaoran groaned, but before anyone could say anything, Nakuru came running back into the room waving her phone. "Here, I've got it! I'm gonna call Touya now!"

Syaoran stood up and reached in her direction. "I told you, I'd call if you'd just give me his number-"

"Already dialing!"

"Ugh…"

Nakuru shifted her weight back and forth as she waited for someone to pick up on the other end. Syaoran sat back down with a sigh, waiting to hear her leave an overenthusiastic voicemail message. However, she suddenly let out a shriek.

"Aaah, Sakura-chan, is that you? You sound so grown up over the phone! What are you doing? Is Touya- oh, he is? Okay, yes! I'll let them know! Yes, that's right- tell Touya to come in too, okay? I'll open the gate so he can park in- oh, you are? Just a sec!"

A few minutes passed in which Nakuru ran out to the entryway and through the front door. The rest of the group sat in silence, waiting for her to return, but after longer than they thought was necessary, both Syaoran and Tomoyo stood up at the same time. It wasn't needed, however. At that moment, the door opened again and Nakuru came bursting back inside with Sakura on her heels.

"-just saying that you really have grown since I last saw you! And that outfit! You've gotta tell me where you got that skirt! It's so cute, I wanna wear it right now-"

As Nakuru and Sakura passed through the doorway into the main room, Tomoyo and Syaoran both gasped her name at the same time.

"Sakura-chan!" "Sakura!"

Tomoyo ran to greet her and Sakura pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry to worry you," she said with an apologetic smile. "I got sidetracked and wasn't looking at my phone at all."

"You were taking so long, we were afraid you might be in danger!" Syaoran added, crowding in to stand next to the two girls. "What happened at your brother's apartment?"

Sakura let out a nervous laugh. "Well, uh…" She reached into her pocket and pulled out her deck, plucking The Plague off the top and showing it off to everyone. "Ta-dah."

" _What_?!" The response came from several people at once. Kero and Stephen hopped off the table and flew over to perch on Sakura's shoulders, while Kaho and Nakuru stepped closer to see as well. "You caught a Warp Card all by yourself?" Syaoran demanded. "Why didn't you call us?"

"W-well, my brother and Yue were there to help," Sakura explained, her face turning red. She didn't really want to admit that Yue had forbidden her from contacting Stephen, so she tried to play it off casually. "It wasn't that difficult, really."

"But that's-!" Stephen stammered. "That's the Plague Card! Oh, I had no idea such a powerful card would come after you so soon! I'm so sorry, Sakura-sama. I should have prepared you for this-"

"It's fine, it's fine." Sakura cut him off, leaning her head over to nudge him with her cheek. "Yukito figured out what card it was in the end. And the Sakura Cards helped me out too. No one got hurt, and I captured the card. So everything turned out alright."

"Yeah, but…"

Eriol cleared his throat, interrupting the conversation. He stood up from his chair, holding one hand up.

"If I may, perhaps we should explain to Sakura what we've talked about since you all arrived. It would be better to get her up to speed on everything before making any further plans."

"Oh! Right!" Sakura followed Tomoyo and Syaoran over to the couch, sitting snugly in between them. Kero and Stephen stayed on her shoulder, neither willing to move, and Nakuru sat back down in the chair on the opposite side of the table.

The conversation turned back to Eriol's information- about what he knew about Warp Neon and what he _didn't_. Stephen then recounted his past actions, his relationship with his partner Chioni and his shameful reaction when she was killed by Warp Neon. Sakura responded by picking him up and giving him a tight hug. She expressed her trust in him wholeheartedly, and he promised that he wouldn't betray that trust. Kero said nothing.

"I suppose, then, the only thing for you to do now is keep transforming Warp Cards," Eriol finally spoke with a sigh. "I'm sorry that I cannot give you more guidance than this. My whole reason for moving back to Tomoeda last year was to support you in an upcoming crisis that I sensed, but now it seems I'm more limited than I expected."

"It's alright." Sakura shook her head. "Just having you here in Tomoeda makes me feel at ease. I know I can count on you to help me if I need it, and I can get in touch with you easily."

"Still, the dream you had recently is something you shouldn't ignore. Whoever is speaking to you in your dream, even if she turns out to be your own subconscious, has something important to tell you. You must listen to what she says."

"Right…" Sakura nodded, though her voice was still unsure. Kaho, who had been standing behind Eriol's chair and leaning against the back suddenly stepped around and motioned toward the table.

"For the time being, perhaps you can do a fortune reading with the cards you have. They are in tune with the forces at work, and if you ask them for a warning, they can give you one."

Sakura frowned and looked down at her cards. "A… warning?"

"For a general warning, you only need to draw one card," Syaoran explained. "It will simply tell you what you'll need to pay attention to in the future- what might present a danger to you."

"A future danger, huh?"

"I think it sounds like a good idea!" Tomoyo agreed. "You should ask the cards for guidance, Sakura-chan. For your sake and theirs, let them help you."

Kero hopped down onto the table and pointed down to its surface. "Remember the incantation I taught you when you were searching for Mirror's identity? Try it again. Really listen to them."

"Alright, then." Sakura gave a single nod, then held out her cards in front of her and closed her eyes. " _Ancient cards of Clow, guide my actions now. Reveal unto me if you may, who is standing in my way."_

She cut the deck, pulling the top card from it. As she turned it around to face her, she opened her eyes and a frown of confusion passed over her face.

"It's... The Snow."

There was a pause. Syaoran sat back, one hand covering his frown. "New beginnings? Is it saying that this whole endeavor is a bad idea…?"

Sakura gasped and held the card closer to her face, raising her voice as though asking the card itself. "Wh-what do you mean?! What is it you're trying to say-?"

Eriol stood up, his voice interrupting her question.

"Calm down, Sakura-san. There may be another meaning."

"Another…?"

Eriol closed his eyes and nodded. "In fortune telling, The Snow represents not just new beginnings, but new beginnings in learning and intellectual growth. It speaks of associations with new mentors and teachers. Perhaps it is trying to tell you to beware of those trying to teach you new things- to be wary of their influence and skeptical of the information they give you."

Once again, there was a pause. Sakura looked over at Syaoran and Tomoyo with an unspoken realization, but Kero was looking in another direction.

"Someone trying to teach her new things, huh…?"

Stephen stiffened and turned back to face Kero. "What are you looking at me for?"

"Isn't it obvious? You're the one who's-"

"Hold on!" Sakura called over, waving her hands. "We just remembered, we'll be getting a new teacher at school soon! Maybe the card is warning us about that."

"A new teacher?" Kaho asked. "In the middle of the year?"

"Minami-sensei is going on maternity leave soon," Tomoyo answered. "So we'll have a substitute until the end of the year."

"Minami?"

"The history teacher."

"Oh!" Kaho clapped her hands together. "Minami Keiko! She's married to Minami Shinichi, the second grade English teacher at Tomoeda Elementary. I was still teaching there when they got married, and all the teachers pitched in for a wedding gift for him-"

"Touya, Yukito, and I had Minami-sensei for history!" Nakuru chimed. "Hers was the one class I actually paid attention to instead of doodling and passing notes!"

Spinel scoffed. "Honestly, Ruby, you're so immature. And this isn't the time to be reminiscing, besides. We are talking about an important warning from the Sakura Cards."

"Spinel is right," Eriol said. "When is your new teacher going to start?"

"Um…" Tomoyo thought for a moment. "Minami-sensei said that her last day would be the Wednesday after Respect for the Aged Day, so… that Thursday, then."

"That's the 22nd, right?" Syaoran asked. "We have off for the autumnal equinox. So the new teacher will start on the 23rd."

"The equinox, hm?" Eriol sighed and sat back down. "It may be a coincidence, but with the warning from the card, you shouldn't let your guard down. Perhaps Kerberos and Stephanos should accompany you to school that day for safety."

Stephen gasped, his eyes starting to sparkle. "I can go to school with Sakura-sama? Oh, I can't wait!"

Kero nudged him. "This is to protect Sakura, remember? No gettin' sidetracked."

"R-right. Of course. Sakura-sama's safety is of the greatest importance…"

As the group continued to talk about the logistics of bringing Stephen to school, Sakura said a quick thank-you to The Snow and returned it to the deck. She shuffled through them again, taking another look at Plague, and then at Erase and Voice. Syaoran noticed and shifted closer to her.

"Is something wrong with the cards? Those feel… different."

Sakura pulled the two close to her chest. "I called on Erase so many times, it exerted too much energy. And Voice was hurt badly protecting Touya." Her frown intensified and tears stung the edges of her eyes. "When we fought Feral, I put Mirror in danger too. I feel awful, asking them to sacrifice so much for my sake… I… I…"

"Sakura." Syaoran spoke her name to cut her off and draw her attention back up to him. "Even as Sakura Cards, they are free spirits. They wouldn't blindly follow you into danger if they weren't willing to do it for you. The cards love you, and we do too. That's why we all are willing to risk our safety for your sake. You'd do the same for us- and you already _have_. So don't feel guilty. Alright?"

Sakura sniffled and wiped tears away from her face. "Syaoran, you're just going to make me cry more."

"I-I'm sorry, I- er, I didn't mean to-"

His frantic response gave her a chance to laugh despite the tears. "It's fine. These are happy tears. They're because you're here for me. You and all my friends, including the cards. We'll get through this no matter what- everything will surely be alright!"

Syaoran smiled as he repeated her words.

"Everything will surely be alright."

* * *

Touya was lying on his side, browsing social media on his phone exactly the way all the so-called "experts" said _not_ to do right before bed. But he'd never been good at following directions, and right before bed was the perfect time to catch up on everything his friends had posted that day without feeling obligated to respond. Normally he enjoyed doing this in silence while Yukito read, but tonight it was just _too_ silent. There wasn't even the regular turning of pages or the little noises of acknowledgement or interest that Yukito always made. Touya set his phone down on the nightstand and sat up, turning to see what was holding Yukito's attention.

"Hey… hey, Yuki? What's on your mind?"

The sound of his name was enough to grab his attention, and Yukito looked up.

"Huh? What?"

"What are you thinking about?" Touya repeated. "I know you're not reading. So what's your deal?"

"I-I… of course I'm reading," Yukito answered. "I have cognitive psychology lecture tomorrow."

"Yeah, but you've been on that page for, like, twenty minutes. It doesn't take that long to read a diagram of Maslow's Hierarchy. What's up with you?"

"Er, that's…" Yukito began and then sighed, setting aside both the book and his glasses. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep things from you. I just can't help thinking about what happened today."

"With Sakura? Yeah, that makes sense. I knew she was involved in something big, but I wasn't sure exactly what was going on. Now that I know, I feel better, but at the same time-"

"Yes, I'm worried about Sakura," Yukito interrupted. "But at the same time… I'm worried about what's going on with the other me. He's always aware of what's going on when I'm me, but _I've_ never seen through _his_ eyes before tonight. I don't know what that means."

Touya shrugged his shoulders. "I can't say. But you saved us tonight. Not the other you- _you_. So the fact that you saw what was happening was a good thing."

"Yeah, but…" Yukito frowned and looked away. "I still can't understand it. Why would our dynamic suddenly change like that? Ever since you told me the truth, I've been afraid of losing myself in the other me. I was scared that I was just a mask for him rather than my own person. But all these years, he and I have been able to coexist. I became confident that I wasn't going to lose myself after all, simply because things stayed the same. So now that things have suddenly changed, I wonder…"

Touya reached over and pinched Yukito's cheek. "Hey, hey. Cut it out with this nonsense, will you?"

Yukito pulled away, rubbing his cheek. "Again with this?"

"I told you back then, you're _you_ , no matter whether you're part of Yue or not." Touya lay back down, staring up at the ceiling. "What happened today proves it- after all, you knew something that he didn't. You had to transform back in order to help Sakura. She needed _you_."

"But even so, the reason you don't have powers anymore is because of me. I can't forget what you did for me, and how much I've troubled you all these years since-"

Yukito stopped as he heard Touya starting to laugh.

"Troubled me? Really?" He reached out and gave Yukito an affectionate punch on the arm. "If this is your idea of troubling me, then you're welcome to trouble me as much as you like."

Yukito smiled and lay back down, pressing against Touya's back and looping his arms around Touya's waist. "You really are a romantic," he sighed, relishing the feeling of Touya's laughter through his back.

"Hah! You're one to talk right about now."

"I suppose I am." Yukito closed his eyes, letting out a satisfied sigh. "For now, I'll stop worrying about myself. It's Sakura who needs our concern the most right now."

"Yeah. She's still a kid, after all. We can't leave all this on her shoulders. Not again."


	5. Sakura and the Decision

Thank you, everyone, for all your support and encouragement! I went through some serious health issues last month, and while my writing took a hit for a little while, I was able to get the treatment I needed and found some time during my recovery to get back into my writing groove. I'm still _so_ not used to these long chapters, but as long as everyone doesn't mind the long wait between them, I'm enjoying taking a more episodic approach to this than I do with my usual stories. As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **5- Sakura and the Decision**

As though announcing the arrival of the season, the autumn equinox brought with it a pleasant chill in the air.

Sakura and Syaoran had scheduled a date long in advance, and they enjoyed the day to their hearts' content, exploring the recently-renovated shopping district, having a picnic lunch at Penguin Park, playing more arcade games than they really should have, and making sure to try that new "rolled ice cream" fad before it disappeared. Sakura finally got to wear the sweater Syaoran had given her for her birthday back in April; a knit piece with cute embroidered flowers and polka dots that had just been too hot for their early spring. It did get a little warm during the afternoon at the park, but the affectionate smile that she caught on Syaoran's face every time he looked over at her was completely worth it.

Unfortunately, as though mirroring their worries, the summer heat returned in full force on Friday. Sakura had been too preoccupied with her date the day before to study, so with a science test coming up in second period, she was busy looking over her notes as she walked to school.

"Y'know, this seems kinda dangerous," Kero commented, sticking his head out of her schoolbag. "Is it really okay for you to walk 'n read at the same time like this?"

"I'm fine!" Sakura shot back, glancing down from the paper only momentarily. "I didn't wear my skates today so that I could study this- and that's what I'm going to do."

"What'cha studyin'?" Stephen asked, popping up beside Kero, already mimicking the accent.

"Heat transfer and the first law of thermodynamics. It's for my chemistry class," Sakura answered. "Conduction, convection, radiation, conservation of energy, calculating work done by a closed system… ugh, there are so many equations! It's supposed to be science, but it looks like math!"

Stephen dropped the accent, speaking as he climbed up Sakura's sleeve and perched on her shoulder. "And you dislike math, Sakura-sama?"

"I-I wouldn't say I dislike it, necessarily…" Sakura plucked Stephen from her shoulder and placed him back in her bag. "Remember, you need to stay put. We can't have anyone at school seeing you. You could be discovered or even confiscated by teachers if they think I've brought a toy to school."

"But we aren't at school yet, are we?"

"No, but it's just around the corner here, and I don't want to take any chances."

Kero grabbed hold of Stephen, slapping a paw over his mouth. "Don'tcha worry, Sakura. I'll keep him quiet as long as we're on school grounds."

"Thanks," Sakura murmured, "but make sure you keep _yourself_ quiet too."

"Excuse you, I am _always_ qui-"

Kero didn't get to finish his sentence as Sakura shoved him and Stephen back into the bag. She had just turned the corner, and could see Tomoyo outside the front gate of the school.

"Tomoyo-chan!"

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo waved back, running to meet Sakura halfway. "You have great timing! My mom just dropped me off."

"Your mom drove you today?"

"Yeah, I told her you were nervous about the new teacher, and she said I should get here early to make sure I was here for you when you arrived."

"Th-that's-!" Sakura's face turned red, and she looked away, focusing on the fountain in the school courtyard as they passed it. "Geez, your mom is too overprotective of me. I'm really not that worried."

"About the new teacher, no," Tomoyo answered, "but from the looks of that notebook you're carrying, you _are_ worried about the science test in second period."

"Oh, come on! Is it that obvious?"

Tomoyo giggled and inched closer to Sakura as they approached the front doors of the school. "So," she began, her voice lower this time, "are Kero-chan and Stephen with you today?"

" _We sure are!_ " A muffled voice came from inside Sakura's schoolbag, and she pulled it closer instinctively.

"Hey, now! What did I say about behaving when we're at school?"

As Tomoyo laughed and Sakura let out her frustrations in a groan, another voice called to them from the stairwell.

"Oh, good morning you two! Have you seen Yamazaki this morning?"

Chiharu waved at them, bounding down the stairs two at a time while Syaoran followed behind her at a much more reasonable pace. Tomoyo finished placing her shoes in her locker and moved to join them.

"Yamazaki-kun? No, I haven't seen him around. Sakura-chan and I just got here."

"Is something wrong with him?" Sakura asked, stepping in beside Tomoyo.

Chiharu crossed her arms. "Other than the usual? He's all bent out of shape about this new history teacher. I think he's running around spreading rumors and nonsense- _more_ than usual, I mean. I enlisted Li-kun to help me find him, but we haven't had much luck."

"Sorry about that," Syaoran murmured. "But he'll probably be heading to the classroom soon, since the bell is about to ring…"

"So? That's no excuse to leave him up to his mischief!"

Tomoyo stepped in between them. "My mother asked me to deliver something to the director's office, so I need to go that way before class starts. Chiharu-chan, do you want to come with me? That way Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun can get to the classroom before the bell rings."

Chiharu glanced back at Sakura and Syaoran, her expression unsure. "I'd hate to leave those two alone in the face of Yamazaki's usual storytelling, but…"

Tomoyo laughed. "Really, I think they find it entertaining. Why not let them enjoy themselves for once?"

"Yeah, we're not _that_ gullible." Syaoran stepped forward as he spoke. "We can tell when he's lying."

There was a pause. Chiharu eyed them with an air of doubt, while Tomoyo just giggled.

"...well, if Yamazaki has wandered off toward the director's office, I want to be the one to find him. So I'll go with you, Tomoyo-chan. Li-kun, you and Sakura-chan go on to class, alright?"

"Right!" "Yes!"

"See you soon!" Tomoyo chimed, waving to them as she led the way up the stairs. Sakura and Syaoran stayed where they were, watching until both Tomoyo and Chiharu had disappeared around the corner.

Finally, the two turned back around to the hallway and started toward their classroom. Syaoran was the first to speak up, motioning to the notebook that Sakura was still holding in one arm.

"Studying for the science test?"

"Ah! Th-that's…" Sakura stammered, tossing the notebook to her other hand and hiding it behind her back. "I-I mean… you can never be too prepared, right? That's what Umeno-sensei says, anyway…"

"It's fine." Syaoran shook his head. "I've fallen behind in my studies too. When I'm not in class or practicing with the drama club, I've been stuck at the computer going through my sisters' archives of Clow Reed's work. So far, I haven't found any mention of Warp Neon whatsoever, but it's slow going."

"Is there no search-and-find feature?" Sakura asked.

"Not the way these are archived. They're handwritten documents, so my sisters have scanned them and compiled them as image files. Trying to type them out would be tedious and might miss important details, since Clow Reed was known to hide symbolism in the way that he wrote certain characters." Syaoran let out a long, slow sigh. "Sorry, I don't mean to complain. It's just that going to the park with you yesterday was the first real break I've had in a while. I really needed it."

Sakura stopped, taking her free hand and grabbing one of his. "Don't work yourself too hard for my sake! I'll be fine, whether or not you find information on Warp Neon. After all, I've got Stephen to help me, and I've captured several of the cards already. What I want most is for you to be healthy and happy! And that way, you can back me up if I need you. Alright?"

"...r-right…"

"Huh? Syaoran, your face is red all of a sudden. Are you feeling sick?"

"Wha-? N-no!" Syaoran pulled his hand back to his side and turned around to face toward the classroom. "It's just, uh, just the heat!"

"Ah, that's right. It's really gotten hot today, hasn't it?" Sakura fell into line walking beside him again. "Definitely too hot for these winter uniforms. I hope I don't get in trouble for not wearing my blazer today."

"I think you'll be fine." The subject change helped Syaoran to calm down, and he stopped again to look out the window at the courtyard where students where students were still filing in. "Yesterday, I really thought I could turn my air conditioner off for the season. But I woke up this morning all sweaty. It was awful."

"Yeah! My dad turned on our air conditioner this morning too!" Sakura leaned against the windowsill with a sigh. "I don't get it. Is this some modern _global warming_ thing? I mean, what did people do before the invention of air conditioning?"

"Oh, there were lots of ways to keep cool before the invention of air conditioning!"

"Y-Yamazaki!"

Sakura and Syaoran jumped forward as Yamazaki appeared behind them, gesturing toward the windows as he explained. He started into his story so fast, they were both too fascinated to say anything about the fact that Chiharu was looking for him.

"The ancient Romans, for instance, imported snow to help them keep cool on hot summer days."

"Snow?" Both Sakura and Syaoran let out a simultaneous gasp. Syaoran continued, a curious skepticism in his voice. "Where would they have gotten it, though?"

"From the mountains, of course!" Yamazaki chimed. "They would send carts pulled by donkeys into mountains like the Alps to gather snow and bring it back for Roman citizens. Naturally, this was an extremely expensive process, so only wealthy aristocrats could afford to have private snow stocks imported just for them. The middle class, instead, had to settle for purchasing snow for high prices at special snow stores."

Sakura looked over at Syaoran, the fascination in her eyes matching his. "Wow! A store where you could buy snow? Kind of like shaved ice?"

"Exactly! Except, in Roman times, snow was much more expensive than the few hundred yen we pay for shaved ice today. In fact, Roman snow could be sold for higher prices than expensive wines-"

" _Well._ Someone's been reading their history books."

Another voice interrupted the group, this one unfamiliar, taking all three by surprise. Sakura and Syaoran had been so intently focused on Yamazaki's story, they hadn't noticed the man walking up behind him. Yamazaki spun around to face the man, his smile not wavering. "You know about ancient Roman air-conditioning technology?"

"Certainly." The man was tall and bearded, with a clean-cut suit and a kind smile. Sakura and Syaoran had never seen him before, but despite his dark hair and eyes, he looked distinctly western. There was a slight accent to his Japanese as well, but somehow it was more endearing than off-putting, especially with the way his eyes sparkled behind his thin glasses. "Like the shaved ice of today, eating snow was a common practice for Romans to keep cool on hot days. But it wasn't just for eating. Snow was also used to cool public baths known as _frigidariums_. Have you heard of them?"

"I have! They were a regular part of the Roman bath practices. But the frigidarium wasn't the only place for Romans to bathe- there were also hot baths known as caldariums, and warm rooms known as tepidariums-"

Yamazaki was cut off by the school bell, and he looked back down the hallway with a disappointed sigh. The man he was talking to just laughed and continued on past them.

"You kids should head on to homeroom. I'll be looking forward to having you in my class later on."

"...his class…" Sakura murmured as she watched him go. "...does that mean he's the new history teacher?"

"Oh man! I didn't think anybody could beat Minami-sensei's history classes, but this new guy seems great!" Yamazaki started toward the classroom with a spring in his step. "I can't wait for third period!"

"We have to get through the second period science test first," Sakura added as she followed after him, though she hung back when she noticed that Syaoran wasn't behind her. "And I'm not looking forward t- _huh_? Syaoran? What are you doing? Come on. We'll be late."

"...was that really the new teacher?"

Sakura frowned, noticing the uneasy expression on his face. "Probably, but we won't know for sure until third period. What's wrong? I didn't sense anything strange about him."

"That's just it- I didn't sense anything either." Syaoran shook his head. "So why did your cards tell us to be wary of him? Could he be hiding his power from us the way Hiiragizawa did?"

Sakura glanced down at her school bag and opened it just a crack. "Kero-chan? Stephen?" she whispered. "Did you guys feel anything strange about that man?"

"Nah, nothing here," Kero answered, poking his head out of the bag just enough that they could see him shaking it. "Stephen?"

"No, I didn't sense any magic coming from him either."

"We can't be sure, since he wasn't there for very long, and the two of us were crammed in this bag," Kero began again, "so we'll keep an eye on him during class. Remember that the only person with the power to totally hide his presence from us was Clow Reed. Even if this guy is powerful enough to hide his magic, we should at least be able to tell something's off. But we'll need a longer exposure time."

"Makes sense." Sakura nodded. "Hopefully you can get a better look at him while we're in class. He'll be teaching all of third period, so keep watch, okay?"

Syaoran frowned, looking away. "Do you really think he's dangerous? He seemed nice, but that's not always an indicator…"

"Don't worry!" Sakura interrupted. "Just remember- everything will surely be alright!"

The statement managed to bring a smile to his face.

"If you say so…"

* * *

Morning classes went as they usually did. To everyone's surprise, Umeno-sensei decided to postpone the science test until Monday because several students were absent- _probably taking a long weekend_ , he'd grumbled, though his sour mood didn't stop Sakura from privately celebrating. With no Saturday classes, she'd have the whole weekend to study. Lucky!

The combination of the tense atmosphere left behind by the science class and the anxiousness to meet the new teacher made the classroom oddly quiet. A few students got up to sharpen pencils or pass notes, but on the whole, they were quiet and still. It felt eerie, and gave Sakura a sense of unease. But that unease lifted the moment that the new teacher stepped in the door.  
"Good morning!" His voice boomed like a loudspeaker, and the smile on his face lightened the atmosphere. "This is class 1-B, correct? I'm still getting used to this new layout."

"Yes, sir!" Yamazaki stood up, his hand raised. "I'm Yamazaki Takashi, the class representative. If you need any further help, I'm glad to be of assistance."

"Thank you, Yamazaki-san. You may sit down now- I think I'll be fine."

The teacher turned around and picked up a piece of chalk to write his name on the board. The way he looked, Sakura was expecting a foreign name. However, the name was all in kanji.

"My name is Noboru Jirou, and I'll be taking over the history class while Minami-sensei is on leave. I've been given a detailed report as to where you left off, and I expect you all to listen to me just as you would Minami-sensei. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir!" the class chimed. Noboru-sensei turned back around, the smile on his face a direct contrast to the seriousness that had been in his voice just moments before. He glanced down at the lesson book on his desk, examined it for a moment, and then flipped the cover closed. "Now! Let's get back on track with the cultural influences of the Heian period! Who can tell me what you know already about the construction of the Byōdo-in? Let's see…" He glanced down at the roster, his eyes examining the names. "Until I learn everyone's names, I'll call from the roll. How about… Kinomoto? What can you tell me about the Byōdo-in?"

"Oh-! Um…" Sakura stood up, flipping through her book. "The Byōdo-in was built as a villa for Minamoto no Shigenobu in 998, and, upon his death, was sold to Fujiwara no Michinaga. His son, Fujiwara no Yorimichi converted it into a Buddhist temple in 1052, constructing the famous Phoenix Hall-"

As she read, Noboru-sensei had walked down the aisle of desks to stand by Sakura, watching over her shoulder. He reached down and tapped on the book, cutting her off in the middle of her sentence. She stopped and looked up in surprise.

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"Kinomoto-san, you're just reading from the textbook. I asked what _you_ know about the Byōdo-in. Why don't you put that down and tell me in your own words what you know?"

Sakura frowned, lowering the book back to her desk. "Uh, well… the Byōdo-in is located in Kyoto prefecture, and is a Buddhist temple dedicated to Amida Butsu-"

"Is this all you learn in history class? Names and places and dates?" Noboru interrupted again, looking out at the other students. No one responded right away, so he turned back to Sakura. "Here, look-"

Noboru reached down to Sakura's ear and drew his hand back. As he did so, a ten-yen coin appeared between his fingers, reflecting the light from the adjacent window. Sakura gasped, and an amused murmur passed through the class. Noboru grinned and strolled back over to the front of the class, holding up the coin for everyone to see.

"I'm sure all of you who've ever seen a ten-yen coin recognize this image of the Byōdo-in. But why is it on a coin in the first place?"

There was some silence as the class tried to figure out who was supposed to answer. Yamazaki finally raised his hand and spoke up.

"Because it was designated as a National Treasure by the Agency for Cultural Affairs."

"And what about it caused the Agency for Cultural Affairs to make that decision? What do they look for in designating national treasures?"

The question, once again, brought the class to silence. But this time, it wasn't so much that the students didn't want to answer, but that they were all deeply considering the question. Sakura, herself, was intrigued by a question she'd never really considered before. A few ideas came to mind, but they weren't anything she was confident enough saying in front of the whole class- especially not after Noboru-sensei's earlier criticism of her answer. After a minute or so of silence, Noboru turned around and erased his name from the board, replacing it with the word "national treasure." He looked back at the class and smiled.

"You don't have to answer this question. In fact, there may not be a right answer out there. What designates a national treasure, or what designates historic relevance in general, isn't so cut and dry. In our history classes, we get so bogged down in the who and the when, we forget to ask the why. While I'm your teacher, I want you all to consider the why in everything we learn- why what we're learning is important to our history and our lives today. Does that make sense?" He held up the ten yen coin again, turning his head to get a full view of the class.

"Yes sir!" The class' response was genuinely enthusiastic, and it gave Sakura a warm feeling to hear it. She would have to wait until lunch to hear Kero and Stephen's analysis on Noboru-sensei, but despite his little magic trick, she couldn't find anything out of the ordinary about him. He just seemed like a teacher who loved history.

"Now, you can open your books again. Turn to page two-hundred-and-five, and pay attention to the inset about Jōchō and the yosegi technique…"

"He was hiding the coin in the palm of his hand. It's a very common sleight-of-hand trick that requires no magical abilities to perform."

The group had gone to the roof again for lunch so that they could discuss the new teacher with Kero and Stephen. It was too hot to sit in the direct sunlight, so they'd retreated to the nearby stairwell to hold their conversation. Tomoyo had initially asked about Noboru-sensei's magic trick, and Syaoran was quick to explain that there was no real magic in it.

"This is true," Kero agreed, nodding his head. "He didn't use any magic in that illusion, nor did I sense any magic on him at all. Stephen?"

"I didn't sense anything either." Stephen shook his head. "Not even a hint of magical abilities. He was just… a normal teacher- if, perhaps, a zealous one."

Tomoyo closed her eyes and thought it over for a moment. "So, you're saying that the cards were wrong?"

"Nah, the cards don't get things wrong," Kero answered. He floated over to land next to Sakura, nudging her to remove the deck of cards from her bag. "The problem lies in our interpretation of what the cards are trying to tell us. Perhaps this Noboshi-sensei wasn't the one that the cards wanted us to be wary of."

"He pronounced it _Noboru_ ," Syaoran corrected. "How can we trust your judgement if you weren't even paying attention?"

"I-I don't need to know the pronunciation of his name to know that he has no magical powers!" Kero defended. "Did you sense something that I didn't?"

"Well, no, but…"

As they'd been speaking, Sakura had been flipping through her deck of cards, looking for The Snow. She finally found it toward the bottom, and pulled it out so that she could examine it more closely. "...who were you trying to warn me about…?" she murmured, not expecting anyone to hear her. She was surprised when Tomoyo offered a response.

"Perhaps it's someone who hasn't shown up yet," Tomoyo said, sliding down two steps so that she could sit next to Sakura. "That just means we'll have to stay vigilant until another new mentor-figure appears."

Her statement drew Kero and Syaoran's attention back to the whole group. "Either that," Kero began, hopping back down to perch on Sakura's shoulder, opposite Stephen, "or we need to be wary of those we already _know_."

Stephen took a step back in Tomoyo's direction. "What are you looking at me for?"

"Stop it, Kero-chan," Sakura scolded, placing the cards down on her lap so that she could pluck Kero off her shoulder and hold him by the scruff of the neck. "For all we know, the cards could be trying to warn us about someone we're going to meet in the future. Being suspicious of Stephen just because we don't have all the information isn't going to do us any good."

"It couldn't hurt either-" Kero began, trying to squirm out of her grip, but the glare that she gave him forced him to quiet down with a sigh. "...alright, fine. But I get _I-told-you-so_ rights if he betrays us."

Stephen perked up. " _If?_ You said if! You really do have some trust in me!"

"Th-that's not…"

Syaoran cleared his throat, his voice echoing from the top of the stairwell. "If no one objects, I'm going to actually eat my lunch before the bell rings."

"Oh, right!" Sakura gasped. "Let's just eat and get back to class. I'll call Yukito-san and invite him over for dinner tonight so that I can discuss things with Yue. Until then, let's not worry too much about it."

* * *

The rest of the day passed relatively uneventfully. A couple of students near the front got caught passing notes during English class and the mathematics teacher almost tripped on a stray piece of chalk that he'd dropped earlier in the lesson, but other than that, nothing of note happened. Kero took a nap in Sakura's schoolbag beside her desk, only waking up once when he started to snore and she kicked him to stop. Stephen, meanwhile, had opened his end of the bag ever-so-slightly so that he could listen to the lesson that was being taught. Most of the concepts went over his head, but it didn't matter to him so long as he was learning a new thing here and there.

Just before the school day ended, the director came over the intercom and announced that all sports and outdoor clubs had been cancelled for the day due to the heat, and that students should take care in walking home. Sakura had cleanup duty in the classroom, so she said farewell to Tomoyo and Syaoran as they left for their club practices and began tidying up.

"Kanda-san, did you see where the other eraser went?"

"I think Shimazaki-sensei left it on the podium-"

"Ah, there it is! Thank you!"

Sakura took the erasers over to the window so that she could clean them, but when she opened the window, the sudden wave of heat coming from outside almost knocked her over. It was no wonder they'd cancelled cheerleading practice- the heat was so stifling, she could barely breathe.

"Kinomoto-san, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Sakura replied, closing the window. "It's no wonder clubs have been cancelled. It must be over 35 degrees!"

"Thirty-six, according to the weather on my smartphone," Kanda replied, showing off the weather report. "And for some reason, it's only going to get hotter as the day goes on-"

The sound of the classroom door opening caught them both by surprise, and Kanda quickly shoved the phone back in his pocket, seeing that it was a teacher. Noboru-sensei caught sight of it, however, and smiled.

"Don't worry so much about the phone, Kanda-san. It's officially after school hours, after all." He paused and glanced around the room a few times before continuing. "Wow, you students do a great job of cleaning around here. I hate to interrupt. But, Kanda-san, the captain of the track team was looking for you. I told him I was going by class 1-B anyway, so I'd let you know."

Kanda frowned, picking up the broom again. "I wonder what he wants… ah, well, I'll find him once I'm finished cleaning-"

Before he could finish the sentence, Noboru grabbed the broom from him. "It'd be rude to keep him waiting. I'll help Kinomoto-san finish cleaning, don't worry."

"B-but, I can't make a teacher-"

"Sports clubs are cancelled today, remember?" Noboru-sensei offered a reassuring wink. "You shouldn't keep your captain waiting."

"Yes, sir! See you later, Kinomoto-san."

"See you," Sakura replied, waving as Kanda left the room. She then turned back to Noboru-sensei, holding out her free hand. "Don't worry about the cleaning, Sensei. I can finish it up."

"Are you sure? It's not fair to heap the work on just one person-"

"Kanda-kun already swept most of the room. It's just the front of the class around the chalkboard that's left. My club was cancelled too, so I'm not in a rush."

Noboru paused and finally handed the broom to Sakura with a sigh. "If you're sure, then alright. I'm actually here looking for something that I've misplaced. I believe it's in this classroom… would you mind if I searched around the back desks?"

"That's fine," Sakura replied, walking back over to the chalkboard to put the erasers back. "But what would you have left on the desks? Er- sorry if I'm being nosy, I just-"

"No need. I've found it already."

Sakura spun around on her heels to see what it was that Noboru-sensei has lost, but she stopped short as she caught sight of him standing by her desk, holding out a small, golden plush toy. "Th-that's-"

Stephen was keeping absolutely still, though whether he was intentionally doing it to appear more like a toy or whether he was simply paralyzed from fear, Sakura couldn't tell. Noboru, however, didn't seem fazed by Sakura's surprise or Stephen's behavior.

"Is this what you've been reduced to, Stephanos?" He asked, the sudden seriousness in his voice sending shivers up Sakura's spine. "You're miniscule, like nothing more than a child's plaything! Though I suppose it's fitting for someone who's sunk low enough to make a _child_ do his dirty work…"

Stephen began to squirm, trying to wrench himself from Noboru's grip. "What are you talking about? How do you know who I am?"

Noboru-sensei seemed to ignore him, instead turning back to Sakura. "Kinomoto-san, has this creature been putting you in danger?"

"Danger?" Sakura stammered, finally able to speak again. "No, he… n-no, of course not! He'd never put me in danger!"

"You say that, and yet- do you not have three of the Warp Cards- the deadliest weapons ever conceived- in your possession?"

 _The deadliest_ … The words echoed in Sakura's mind and she absentmindedly reached for the cards she had in her pocket. As she did so, however, another voice joined the conversation.

"Hey! The real question is, how d' _you_ know how many Warp Cards Sakura's already captured?!"

Kero-chan, having woken up in the middle of conversation, finally understood enough of what was going on to speak out. He jumped out from Sakura's bag and flew up so that he was on eye level with Noboru-sensei. Noboru just smiled.

"Finally. I was wondering when the _great Kerberos_ would make his appearance. It seems time hasn't been kind to you either."

"This form is just a temporary disguise! And what do you know about my true form anyway? You never explained how you know about Sakura capturin' the cards!"

Noboru sighed and reached into his pocket with his free hand, producing an object with a familiar shape.

"Let's just say… a little bird told me."

The card began to glow, and suddenly a small figure appearedon Noboru's shoulder. It was only a few centimeters tall, but moved so quickly it was difficult to see clearly. Once it finally landed on his shoulder, Sakura was able to see a sprite-like creature, clad in a tunic and wearing sandals with large, elaborate wings adorning the sides. Stephen stopped squirming long enough to gasp.

" _Messenger!_ "

"Messenger?" Sakura repeated, looking to Stephen and then to Noboru. It was all so confusing, Stephen spoke up again before she could think of a coherent question.

"The Messenger card performs surveillance on enemies and relays that information back to its master. But How did you gain Messenger's loyalty? It always obeyed Warp Neon and only Warp Neon!"

Noboru closed his eyes and sighed. "Stephanos, I can't believe that, by now, you haven't figured out who I am. I expected more of you."

"What? But you…"

Stephen went limp, a look of horror passing over his features. Kero leapt off the desk where he'd been sitting, flying up to face Noboru directly.

"What you're implying can't be true! Warp Neon didn't have the magical power to reincarnate with his memories!"

There was a pause as Noboru-sensei considered the accusation and Messenger sat idly on his shoulder. He finally sighed and released Stephen, holding up Messenger's card so that its physical form could disappear.

"True, I didn't." Noboru shook his head. "This was a gift from a generous benefactor."

"...benefactor…?" Kero murmured.

There was a mischievous glint in Noboru's eye as he clarified. "My dear friend Clow Reed, of course."

"What? That's a lie- Clow Reed was the one who sealed Warp Neon away! He wouldn't have helped him to reincarnate! And even if he did, why did it take you over a century to be reborn?"

Noboru just laughed. "You think you're the only one who doesn't understand Clow's thought processes? My greatest question is, why bring me back after all this time if he, himself, had already died and left a _child_ to do his dirty work?"

Sakura stood up straighter. "I may be young, but-"

"But nothing. Full stop. Don't you think it's inhumane for Clow Reed to have left the care of his powerful cards in the hands of a young girl? At the very least, it's highly unethical-"

"Quit belittling Sakura's power!" Kero yelled. "I chose her as the new master because I knew she had the power to do the job! The cards love her, and Yue and I do too. We'll never hand the cards off to somebody like _you_ , no matter what you say!"

For once in the conversation, a look of genuine confusion passed over Noboru's face. "...hand the cards off to me? Is that what you thought I was getting at? Hah! As if I'd ever want something made by _Clow Reed_. Just the thought makes me sick."

Stephen perched on one of the chairs, looking up at Noboru with a frown. "So what's the point of revealing yourself? If you really are Warp Neon, as you say, then what do you want from us?"

"It's not that I want anything from _you_. It's Kinomoto that I-" Noboru replied, taking a step toward Sakura. He stopped as she mirrored him with a step back. "You needn't be afraid, Kinomoto-san. I'm not going to harm you the way Stephanos has."

"He hasn't hurt me."

"Perhaps not yet. But this whole card-capturing-and-transforming business eventually _will_ get you hurt. Stephanos has put you in grave danger, and for what? The _principle_ of a united deck? It doesn't seem worth the trouble." He paused and pulled out Messenger again, holding it up for her to see. "The cards _obey me_ , Kinomoto. I can protect you."

Sakura took another step back. "Protect…?"

"Don't listen to him, Sakura-sama! He's obviously trying to bait you into making some sort of deal with him!"

"Stephanos is right, of course. I am asking for a deal. But I hope you'll see it for what it is and not what these child-labor enthusiasts make it out to be." Noboru held out his free hand to Sakura. "I have no magical powers, and therefore no sixth sense to be able to locate the cards. _You_ on the other hand, can sense when a card is nearby _and_ attract the cards due to your connections with Clow. Be my eyes for me, Kinomoto. Alert me as soon as you sense a nearby Warp Card. In return, I will protect you from harm."

Sakura didn't answer right away. She stared at his hand, her mind buzzing with thoughts on the situation. Something about this situation felt vaguely familiar, but it was also completely unexpected. Was he really Warp Neon? And if so, would he really honor his promise to protect her? What if he betrayed her? Was it worth the risk? Was it worth it at all...?

"Your hesitance is admirable. I can see you are giving it genuine thought." Noboru spoke up again, though he didn't move his hand. "Your time dealing with Clow Reed has made you wary, and I can't say that I blame you. But I'm not like Clow Reed. I don't care for lies or underhanded tactics. You can look at my cards and see- I believe in clear, strong statements, whether they are threats or promises. I will protect you from the Warp Cards, Kinomoto, and once I have all the remaining cards in my possession, I will leave Tomoeda and your life forever. I'll be on the earliest possible flight to Athens in order to establish myself anew far from the influence of that awful Clow Reed. What do you say?"

Once again, the room went silent. Most students had already left the school building by that point, so there wasn't anyone to interrupt them. The only interruption came from Stephen.

"Don't listen to him, Sakura-sama! He's a liar through and through!"

"Stephanos, the more you interfere, the more you show Kinomoto that you don't care about her and her own decisions. Perhaps you should focus less on making her choose your 'side' and more about letting her decide for herself what is right."

Stephen drooped, his ears going flat against his head. "...but…"

The room was quiet a little longer. Sakura closed her eyes, sighed, and finally stepped forward. Stephen let out a little gasp and a hissed ' _Sakura!_ ' but she ignored him. She opened her eyes and kept them focused on Noboru.

"I don't believe that Clow Reed and Kerberos meant me any harm, and I don't believe that Stephanos does either. Collecting the Warp Cards is difficult, yes, but… it makes me happy because it makes the cards happy. I love the cards- all of them- and if you're really who you say you are, then I can't be sure that the cards will be happy with you. So I can't accept your offer."

Stephen let out a sigh of relief and whispered " _Sakura-sama..._ " Noboru-sensei, on the other hand, retracted his arm and gave a disapproving _hmm._

"I suppose I couldn't expect to so easily get through Clow Reed's brainwashing. Fair enough, Kinomoto-san. Remember that my offer of protection is still open. But so long as you continue to collect the Warp Cards, I will not do you any favors. If they kill you, your blood will not be on my hands."

He started to leave the room, walking around the outside of the desks to give Sakura plenty of space. Before he could get to the door, however, Stephen yelled over to him.

"I will _not_ let you kill Sakura-sama the same way you killed Chioni!"

Noboru stopped at the door and turned back. "Stephanos, I've already told you. The one who killed poor Chioni was Clow Reed."

"How long are you going to keep repeating that lie?!"

There was a pause. Noboru finally opened the door, heaving a long sigh.

"I do not lie, Stephanos. _Especially not about Clow Reed._ " He turned back to Sakura, his voice suddenly pleasant again. "By the way, I'm planning a pop quiz sometime next week, so be sure to do your nightly readings. You never know what might be on the quiz. See you Monday!"

The silence left behind when he closed the door was suffocating.

Sakura stayed where she was, awkwardly shifting her weight as she looked over at Kero and then Stephen. Stephen jumped off the desk and flew toward her, hugging her arm.

"Oh, Sakura-sama! I'm so relieved! I don't know what I would've done if you'd accepted his offer-"

"Hey, now, we can do without the guilt-tripping," Kero spoke up, grabbing Stephen by the scruff of his neck and pulling him away. "This is something we need to discuss before we make any big decisions."

"K-Kerberos…" Stephen stammered. "You really think Sakura-sama should have taken his offer? That's absurd! You know firsthand how evil Warp Neon i-"

"Yes. I know."

Kero's answer was short and emphatic, with no further explanation. Both Sakura and Stephen weren't sure how to respond. Stephen floated over to land on Sakura's shoulder, hiding himself against her hair. Sakura sighed and finally spoke up again.

"This isn't the place to talk about these sorts of things. I'll text Syaoran and Tomoyo, and ask them to come over after clubs."

"Call Yue too," Kero added, scampering back over to Sakura's schoolbag. "And, if possible, Eriol should be involved. Even though he has none of Clow Reed's memories of Warp, he knows about Warp from living in England. He might be able to offer some explanation as to how Warp Neon was able to reincarnate… if this Noboru guy really is who he claims."

"He has to be!" Stephen peeked his head out of Sakura's hair. "You saw how Messenger-"

"Just get in here. We can discuss it back at Sakura's house when Yue and the others have arrived."

"…" Stephen glanced over at Sakura, a look of unease in his eyes. She picked him up gently and returned him to her school bag, giving him a reassuring pat on the head. She then retrieved her phone in order to send the messages off. Her eyes lit up as she turned it on.

"Oh, it's a message from Dad! He says that… he's going to be at work late today, because they had to move some of their outdoor exhibits due to the heat wave."

"All the better to call everyone over, then," Kero replied. "We can talk it over like civilized people instead of standing here arguing about it-"

" _Kinomoto-san?_ "

At the sound of the unfamiliar voice, Kero and Stephen dove back into Sakura's bag. She clutched the bag to her chest and looked up to the classroom door. "Oh, Kanda-san! Did you find the team captain?"

"Yeah, but he wasn't looking for me after all," Kanda answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "I guess Noboru-sensei was mistaken. Where'd he go, anyway?"

"Oh, we just finished up cleaning, so he left. I was about to go too."

"Sorry to run out on you like that!" Kanda bowed apologetically. "I'll work harder next time we have cleaning duty, I promise-"

"It's really okay!" Sakura cut him off, waving her hands dismissively. "Let's just go. Do you want to walk to the gate together?"

"Sure…" Kanda straightened up again, a frown passing over his face. "...but are you sure you're okay? You seem kinda out-of-it. I'm going out for ice cream with some other first years in the track team, so would you like to come with us? I know you usually hang out with Li and Daidouji, but-"

"No, that sounds great! I'd love to! But… I need to get home to cook dinner, since my dad's going to be home late, and we're having guests. Maybe some other time!"

Kanda grinned and winked. "Well, you know you're always welcome to join the track team if you want to spend more time with us."

"Thanks, but I think I'll stick to cheering you on with the cheerleading squad."

"Haha, sounds good…"

Kero and Stephen stayed hidden in Sakura's school bag as she chatted with her friend on their way out. Neither said anything, even to each other.

At this point, there wasn't much to say.

* * *

"Any idea why she invited us to dinner all of a sudden?"

Syaoran opened the gate for Tomoyo, and she nodded in thanks as she continued up the steps to the Kinomotos' doorway. "She just said there was something important she wanted to talk to us about," Tomoyo replied.

"Yeah, she sent me the same message she sent you." Syaoran glanced over at the garage. "Say, there's two cars here, and neither of them belong to her dad…"

"Well, one is Touya's. He must be visiting for dinner- maybe Mr. Kinomoto had to stay late at work."

"It makes sense, but the other…"

"Perhaps her dad got a new car?" Tomoyo suggested it as she pressed the doorbell and stepped back to wait patiently in front of the door. A moment passed in which there seemed to be some commotion inside, and the door suddenly burst open.

"There you two are! We've been waiting!"

Nakuru tackled the two of them in a big hug and dragged them inside before either Tomoyo or Syaoran could ask what she was doing there. She'd pulled them all the way into the kitchen by the time that Syaoran finally managed to get a word out.

"Ruby Moon… what are you-?"

"Oh, there you are!" Sakura pushed through the small crowd of people in the kitchen to get to Nakuru and her two friends. "I was worried about you. You're later than I expected."

"Well, I had to stay after to help clean up from drama practice," Syaoran explained, pulling himself away from Nakuru's grasp.

"And we stopped for drinks along the way, since it was so hot," Tomoyo added, though she seemed more content staying next to Nakuru. "But what's everyone doing here? Are you throwing a party?"

"It's an odd party if I've ever seen one." Touya was standing on the other side of the table next to Yukito. He sighed, resting against the back of the chair. "Sakura just texted us out of the blue asking us to come over for dinner. Said it was important. I didn't expect it to be _this_ important, though-"

As he spoke, Nakuru let go of Tomoyo and skipped around to the other side of the table so that she could hug Touya from behind. "Sakura-chan said she needed magical advice! That's why Eriol and I came!"

"Would'ya let go of me?!"

"Aww, Touya, don't be so shy! It's been ages since we've been together like this!"

Eriol, meanwhile, was standing in the kitchen, having a conversation with Kero and Stephen, who were both sitting on the countertop. Eriol stepped forward and waved across the counter at Tomoyo and Syaoran. "I'm sorry Kaho and Spinel couldn't make it, but Ruby and I are here to answer any questions you might have."

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Tomoyo replied with a grateful bow. "I know Sakura trusts your guidance."

"Well, I assumed it must have something to do with the new teacher she mentioned last week."

Tomoyo and Syaoran glanced at one another. "Actually… it turns out he's not dangerous at all," Tomoyo replied.

" _Actually_ ," Kero called from across the counter, "things have changed."

"Changed?" Syaoran ventured, stepping closer to the counter. "What do you mean? Did he-?"

"Hey, dinner's almost ready!" Sakura interrupted, taking Syaoran's hand. "Let's all get something to eat and then discuss the situation. We can't think properly on empty stomachs, right?"

"Sakura-chan is right!" Yukito agreed. "Let's eat!"

No one could argue, but they were all still uneasy.

* * *

" _Stephanos, do you truly believe this man is the reincarnation of Warp Neon?_ "

The group had eaten dinner in the kitchen, with Sakura, Tomoyo, Nakuru, and Yukito at the table. Sakura had offered to pull up more chairs, but Syaoran, Eriol, and Touya had insisted on eating standing at the counter, and Kero was all too happy to take up the extra table space on his own. Stephen didn't eat, instead quietly watching the group. When they moved to the living room so that Sakura could explain the situation, he let her and Kero talk, sitting quietly on the back of the sofa so that he was out of the way. It wasn't until Yue- who had taken over for Yukito at the end of the meal- addressed him directly that he finally spoke.

"I do," Stephen replied. He scampered down off the back of the sofa and returned to his true form, perching on top of the low table. "The Warp Cards would never obey someone they did not recognize as their master, especially Messenger. It was one of the few that was genuinely devoted to Warp, not just obeying him out of intimidation or fear."

"I see," Yue murmured, looking down at the floor. "But I don't understand how it's possible for him to have been reincarnated at all, much less with his memories. Clow Reed didn't just defeat Warp, he _sealed him away_. The reason Sakura was able to open Warp's book was because the seal was one of Clow's design. Only a magician with Clow's own power or greater would have been able to set Warp Neon's soul free. So… who would have…?"

Yue's voice trailed off, so Stephen turned to Eriol instead. "Eriol, do you have any idea as to who might have done this?"

"I do not." Eriol shook his head. "This past week, I've been doing some meditative exercises in an attempt to retrieve the missing memories from Clow Reed. But every time, I come up short. It seems that the memories have not simply been repressed, but that they never existed in the first place- or, at least, don't exist now. Whoever had the power to alter Clow Reed's memories would certainly have the power to remove the seal on Warp Neon. But as for who might've done so and why, I can't say."

Kero stepped forward, having changed into his true form as well. "Noboru-sensei claimed that Clow Reed was the one who allowed him to reincarnate. But that doesn't make sense. Why would Clow break a seal that he worked so hard to place? And if the reincarnation and lost memories are connected, then why would he have altered his own memories? Clow was always cryptic and melodramatic, but this seems beyond even him."

"Li?" Eriol turned to look at Syaoran. "Have you been doing more research in your family's archives since we last spoke?"

"Yes," Syaoran replied with a nod, "and I've come up empty-handed every time. There's just nothing about Warp Neon anywhere in them. I was wondering if your altered memories and my family's lack of information were connected, but now that this whole reincarnation thing is added to the mix, I just don't know…"

"In the end, it means we'll need to get more information from this Noboru-sensei," Yue added. "And the only way to do that may be to work with him."

Stephanos' fur suddenly stood on end. "You're saying that Sakura-sama should make a deal with a liar like that?!"

Touya was equally angered by Yue's statement, and he stepped forward from where he'd been leaning against the wall. "I thought it was _your_ job to protect my sister, not some creepy man who claims to be her enemy!"

"I _will_ protect Sakura!" Yue shot back. "But to do that, I need as much information as possible! And if this is the best way to get it-"

"It isn't!" Stephen broke in. "By accepting Noboru's offer, Sakura-sama will just be playing into his hands!"

Eriol cleared his threat and stepped forward into the middle of the room. "If I may, let me offer you some of Clow Reed's advice. He lived by the old saying ' _keep your friends close and your enemies closer.'_ If he treated Warp Neon anything like the enemies I do recall, then he was probably cordial and friendly during their encounters and perhaps even invited Warp to his home for meals. If Warp Neon had lost his cards and made Clow Reed such an offer, Clow would have accepted it even though he didn't need the protection. If he had the chance to work _with_ his enemy instead of against him, he would absolutely have taken it."

The room went quiet. Sakura looked over at Kero and Yue, who both nodded in reply. She then looked at Stephen, whose forlorn expression made Sakura's stomach churn. He _really_ didn't want her taking this offer…

"If Sakura chooses to take Noboru's offer," Yue began, "she would become valuable to him. The more he grows to depend on her, the more leverage she has against him."

"I'm sorry, but I just don't think that's the case." Stephen shook his head. "Noboru doesn't have any power at this point. But the more cards he has under his control, the more powerful he will become. By helping him, Sakura-sama will only be giving him greater power with which to betray her later. That _is_ what you're all expecting, right? None of you actually expects him to honor his promise, right?"

The room went quiet again. Yue finally sighed.

"At this point, we're not sure. I'm not sure how many of us expect _you_ to honor your promises."

"You were awfully adamant today in our conversation with Noboru-sensei," Kerberos added. "You wouldn't let Sakura make her own decision. I don't trust him either, but Noboru did have a point when he said that you didn't seem to care about what Sakura thought."

"I-I…" Stephanos lowered his head, his ears drooping. "...I just didn't want Sakura-sama to make the same mistake that I did in trusting him…" He looked back over at Sakura. "Sakura-sama, you've shown me kindness the likes of which I've never experienced before. Even if I'm not your guardian, I still want to protect you to the best of my ability. If you trust Warp Neon, he will betray you and hurt you, just like he did to Chioni. And I can't… I can't lose someone I care about like that… not again…"

Tomoyo leaned forward and patted Stephanos' head. "Don't worry, Stephen. Look around at everyone here. Everyone is here because they love Sakura and want to help protect her. So she's going to be alright no matter what decision she makes."

Stephanos lifted his head again, looking around at everyone in the room. Yue and Kerberos made a point of looking away, and Touya kept a serious expression, but everyone else smiled at him, so he couldn't help smiling back.

"Thank you, everyone…"

"That all being said," Eriol began again, "this decision is one that Sakura must make on her own. It must be what she wants."

"Huh? That's…" Sakura blushed, fidgeting with her hands. "I mean, it's hard for me to make a decision when I'm hearing people I trust defending both sides. I'm still not sure what to do. Maybe we can…" She stopped to think. "...vote on it?"

The suggestion gave everyone a moment's pause. "Vote, hm?" Yue asked. "At the very least, it would force those of us who haven't voiced our opinion yet to speak up."

"Hold on a moment," Eriol interrupted. "Some of them may need extra time to think it over."

Touya raised his hand. "I don't need any time. I know how I'm going to vote."

"Touya's right!" Nakuru chimed. "Let's just vote already!"

"Should we make it a hidden ballot vote?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura shook her head. "I want to hear everyone has to say. Most of you, I know what you're thinking. But I don't want anyone to be left out. Everyone deserves to speak their mind."

Kero nodded. "Sounds good to me."

"I'm in," Touya added.

Syaoran looked at Sakura as though he were about to say something, but he changed his mind and just nodded his head in agreement.

Sakura scooted forward so that she was sitting on the edge of the sofa. "We can just go around the room and speak. The question is, who wants to start?"

A few people started talking at once- Stephanos, Kerberos, and Touya all volunteered to vote first. Sensing an argument about to break out, Sakura cut in.

"Let's start with Touya. Then we'll go around to Kero-chan, Yue, Stephen, and so on."

Stephanos nodded and settled down, though Kerberos grumbled about the decision. Touya ignored them both, closing his eyes and crossing his arms as he voiced his opinion.

"I think there's _no way_ Sakura should accept this guy's offer. Just because this Clow Reed person would've done it doesn't mean Sakura should too. He doesn't seem like a good role model to begin with, and I don't want my sister potentially putting herself in more danger by giving power to someone she knows is her enemy. Sakura can protect herself- she doesn't need to sacrifice anything for someone else's protection."

He stepped back and leaned against the doorframe, indicating that he'd finished his statement. Sakura gave him an affirmative nod and then looked to Kerberos.

"Kero-chan?"

Kerberos unfolded his wings, drawing himself up to his full height. "Clow Reed would have accepted this guy's offer, and I think Sakura should too! It's the only way we'll get more information about him, and it will ensure that the Warp Cards don't cause any more damage than they have already. If he depends on Sakura for help, it'll make it easier for her to demand information. That way, we'll be able to find out if he really _is_ Warp Neon, and if so, how he was released from Clow's seal. If we don't, we'll just be ignoring the problem and potentially letting it get worse." He gave a little _'hmph'_ and sat back down again, folding up his wings. "That's all I have to say. Yue?"

Yue gave a long, frustrated sigh. "As much as it pains me to say it… I fully agree with Kerberos."

" _Hey now-!_ "

"Not only would taking the offer give Sakura an advantage, it would also take a large burden off of her shoulders." Yue opened his eyes again and looked over at her. "Sakura, it is not your responsibility to manage the Warp Cards. No matter what Stephanos says, these cards are not worth putting your safety in jeopardy. You have the power to capture the cards, that's not a question- but it will be a difficult task and you are not obligated to take it on. Remember that."

He went quiet again, leaning against the windowsill. Kerberos, meanwhile, turned to Stephanos with a smug look. "Hear that, Stephanos? It's two to o-"

"I _wasn't finished_ ," Yue shot back, cutting through Kerberos' statement. Kerberos stiffened and turned away.

"S-sorry! I just assumed. What else is there to say?"

"I just needed to say that..." Yue began again, and paused, looking almost pained as he continued. "...Yukito believes… that Sakura-chan should _not_ take the deal."

"He believes what now?" Kerberos narrowed his eyes. "Did you just call her _Sakura-chan_?"

"Yukito did. I'm simply relaying his message. He says that he believes in Sakura's power and in her ability to bring happiness to the cards and herself no matter the danger. That is all."

"What? Come on, he hasn't even been part of this conversation-"

Yue cut Kerberos off. "Do you really think I would contradict myself like this if Yukito didn't feel strongly about his vote? Honestly, Kerberos, you can be such a fool sometimes…"

"A fool? How dare you-?!"

"Hey, hey!" Sakura stood up, waving her hands. "Cut it out, you two! The vote is two-to-two, and that's that. It's Stephen's turn now."

"Well, we all know what he's going to say…" Kerberos grumbled, settling back down on one of the cushions. "But go ahead. Surprise us."

Stephanos cleared his throat. "Thank you, Sakura-sama. As you'd expect, I vote not to take Noboru-sensei's deal and instead capture the cards yourself. After seeing what you've done with the cards you have, I know you can do it- and the cards are so much happier with you, I can't help but want to see them all into the hands of a loving master. Some here may not trust me, but I _promise you,_ I will support you in this endeavor even at the cost of my own life. So please, don't abandon the Warp Cards-"

"This is a vote, not an appeal," Yue interrupted. "State your opinion and give the next person their turn."

"S-sorry." Stephanos shrunk back and nodded his head. "Um, Eriol-sama? I suppose that would be you…"

"Yes, I suppose so." Eriol sighed, leaning against the back of the couch where Nakuru was sitting. He removed his glasses, taking a moment to clean them as he spoke.

"Kerberos and Yue both made strong points. While Clow Reed was a fan of the eccentric and theatrical, he also preferred to take the easiest route when possible- or, at least, the route that would give him the greatest advantage. In this case, I believe that accepting Noboru's offer and using that connection to learn more about him and his past concerning Warp Neon is the best option. While the decision as to whether or not to take the deal is ultimately up to Sakura-san, I vote for it."

Stephanos' ears drooped, but he said nothing, simply looking to Nakuru with a plea in his gaze. Her whole body went stiff momentarily before she began flailing her arms, nearly smacking Tomoyo in the process.

"Oh, stop looking at me like that Stephen! You know you're too cute! And Touya and Yukito both want to help you, but… but… but…" She stopped, smacked herself in the face a couple times to regain her composure, and continued. "Eriol is my master, and if he says that taking the deal would be the best thing for Sakura-chan, then I believe him. I'm going to vote the same as Eriol! I'm sorry, guys. I still love you,Touya, Yukito!"

Touya scoffed. "I literally couldn't care less about your feelings right now, Akizuki. There are more important things to think about."

Stephen forced a smile, but couldn't bring himself to look at her. "It's alright, Nakuruby. I know you and your master are just trying to do what you think is best for Sakura-sama. Even if I disagree, it's not fair for me to be mad at you when your intentions are good."

"Four votes for and three against, huh? That just leaves two more. Syaoran and… Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura spoke up, leaning forward and motioning in her direction. "What's your take?"

"My take? Well…" Tomoyo looked over at Sakura, clasping her hands together against her chest. "As much as I love videotaping Sakura-chan's card captures, I know it's dangerous and difficult for her. Asking her to keep capturing cards just so that I can get the captures on video would not only be selfish of me, it might end up hurting Sakura-chan in the process. And if that happened, I could never forgive myself. So-"

"T-Tomoyo…" Stephanos murmured, his voice cracking in dismay.

"-that's why you have to understand that I'm thinking about Sakura-chan and not myself when I say that I think she should continue capturing all the Warp Cards."

Sakura couldn't help a small gasp. "Tomoyo-chan, you-"

"Sakura-chan loves the cards, and the cards love her. I didn't see her capture Plague, but when I watched her capture Feral and Arsenal, she was thinking about the cards' well-being even when they were attacking her. And when she captured and purified them, she was so happy. I can tell how important the cards are to her, and if it's important to Sakura-chan, it's important to me. So that's why I think she should keep capturing them."

"Th-thank you, Tomoyo-sama!" Stephanos exclaimed, bowing in her direction. Tomoyo chuckled and dismissively waved one hand. "I told you, it's what I think is best for Sakura-chan. Besides, nothing has been decided yet. It's currently four to four, isn't it? That means…" She turned to Syaoran and smiled. "It looks like the deciding vote falls to Syaoran-kun."

Syaoran turned pale, his whole body going rigid. "D-deciding vote?!"

" _Great,"_ Touya grumbled. "You're telling me that the safety of my sister is being left in the hands of this brat?"

Kerberos scrambled to his feet, slamming his front paws down on the table. "The vote wouldn't be split like this if they hadn't let _Stephanos_ vote! We agree that we don't trust him- so why does he get a say? And Yukito too! Where does he get off having a different opinion than his true form?!"

"Hey, now!" Touya jumped in. "Yuki is his own person and he's entitled to his own opinion!"

"Not if his opinion could endanger Sakura!" Kerberos shot back. "Where's my phone? Suppi should be in on this vote too. He's just being lazy, sitting out like this, using work as an excuse-"

"Suppi is busy!" Nakuru argued, "And honestly, is it fair to ask the opinion of someone who wasn't here to hear the whole story?"

"I'll give him a quick recap."

"One that's biased as hell, no doubt," Touya spat.

"Oh, and you think _you_ could do better-?"

"EVERYONE STOP!"

Sakura stood up, her voice bouncing through the room and echoing down the hallway. The sound of her usually sweet voice shrill and cracking brought everyone to a full stop, and they all fell to attention.

"It's my decision, isn't it? Then I'll decide how the voting goes. Stephen and Yukito-san get to vote. If Spinel were here, he would get a vote, but he's not. And honestly, with the way things are matched up, I've gotten more than enough idea of what everyone thinks." She looked over to her side, her attention focused on Syaoran. "I trust Syaoran-kun with the deciding vote, and that's that. Lately, he's been spending all his time researching Clow Reed's past. He knows what Clow Reed would have done in this sort of situation, and he knows how it would have turned out. So whatever he decides- I know it will be a good answer."

She sat down again, smiling brightly at him. His expression, however, was one of pale-faced dismay. He turned to look at the others in the room, all of whom were focused intently on him. Stephanos was wide-eyed and pleading, while Touya and Kerberos were staring daggers. Syaoran began to stammer an answer, his voice still hesitant. "I… I think… that is…"

"Think carefully, kid," Kerberos interrupted. "Remember how you felt when she fought Arsenal and you couldn't do anything. Remember that helplessness. Do you really want her fighting these things on a regular basis-?"

"Li Syaoran, please!" Stephanos interrupted. "I know the feelings you have for Sakura-sama, and I know the kind of disdain that Warp Neon has for those sorts of feelings. Please, if you truly love her, don't make the same mistake I did-"

"Stephanos, Kerberos, _please!_ " It was Eriol's turn to interrupt. "This is a decision that Syaoran must make on his own. It's important to him and to Sakura. You can't attempt to influence him like this when there's so much riding on his choice-"

" _THAT'S ENOUGH!_ "

It was Syaoran's turn to yell and jump to his feet. His head was bowed so that his eyes weren't visible, but his hands were trembling.

"Y-you… you all…" He lifted his head, the look in his eyes almost desperate. "...you can't leave all this on my shoulders! What makes you think I'm qualified to make this decision? What makes you think I can handle this kind of responsibility?!"

Sakura reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Syaoran-kun, we weren't trying to overwhelm you-"

She was cut off as he jerked his arm away, stepping back. "You're the one who went on and on about how you'd trust my decision! But what if _I_ don't even trust my decision?!"

Before she could even attempt a reply, he turned around and stormed out of the room. Sakura could hear him as he stumbled down the hallway and out the front door, slamming it behind him. Stephanos leapt off the table and started toward the door with a gasped " _Li Syaoran-!_ " but Tomoyo grabbed him and held him back. Kerberos began to argue with Touya and Yue, and Nakuru jumped up to get in between them. Tomoyo and Stephanos were asking questions of Eriol, which he seemed unable to answer. Sakura, meanwhile, just stayed where she was, her mind racing.

"Syaoran…"

* * *

(Thanks for reading! If you're enjoying the story, please let me know with a comment. It doesn't have to be long if you're pressed for time- just a simple "I like it!" is a huge motivator that helps me write these chapters faster and with better quality!)


	6. Sakura and the Science Lesson

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **6- Sakura and the Science Lesson**

Syaoran slammed the front door behind him and stopped on the Kinomoto's front porch to catch his breath. The outburst had taken a lot out of him, and he had to pause in order to collect his thoughts about the situation.

He hadn't meant to yell- especially not at Sakura. But with everyone putting so much pressure on him, what was he supposed to say? It felt all of a sudden as though he were back at home, at the Li estate where all eyes were on him. With his sisters' lack of magical power, he was the one left to inherit the name and legacy of the famous Li family, and it was no small burden. Considering the struggle his mother had gone through to be named heir, she had only the highest expectations for the son who would follow in her footsteps. And that left Syaoran in a tough position. He genuinely wanted to become head of the family, genuinely loved studying magic and martial arts, genuinely felt _connected_ with his heritage, and yet… There came a time in his life when he realized that he wouldn't have had a choice in the matter if he'd felt differently. And that put all the pressure and high expectations in a different light.

Coming back to Tomoeda in middle school had been a dream come true. Not only could he be by Sakura's side, but he could also live his life the way he chose. The pressure of living under the Li family's microscope was gone, and he could truly _enjoy_ himself. He bought a video game system the likes of which his mother never would have approved, he joined the drama club rather than picking what his family might consider a more ' _productive_ ' pastime, he went on dates with Sakura, hung out with friends from school, played intramural sports at the park- hell, he even learned how to _knit_! ...not that he'd tell anyone about it, but still. He could be himself. And no, he wasn't ignoring his duties as heir to the family name, nor was he ignoring his study of Clow Reed's magic and the Li family's martial arts. But they could be a _part_ of his life instead of consuming _all_ of it.

Now that these Warp Cards had appeared, suddenly that had changed. All his free time was spent in front of a computer screen, probably straining his eyes in an attempt to scour the entirety of Clow Reed's writings. It was consuming him all over again, and he hadn't realized just how much it was weighing on him until his date with Sakura yesterday let him take a break.

He sighed, leaning against the wall and taking a deep breath. The heat was stifling, and it made his lungs feel fuzzy as he tried to fill them. He wanted to go back inside and breathe cool, air-conditioned air, but he knew that going back inside would mean having to face everyone, and he wasn't ready for that.

Suddenly, as though granting his wish, he felt a cool breeze pass by. It was refreshing, and he raised his head against the wind to better enjoy it- only to be met with the sight of a tall, luminous figure.

" _WHOA!"_

Syaoran stumbled backwards in surprise, pressing himself against the door. His shock lasted only momentarily, however, until he recognized the figure. At the same time, a familiar voice spoke up from around the corner of the house.

"I'm sorry! We didn't mean to startle you. I just… thought you might be hot out here."

Sakura stepped out from around the corner, and Windy moved around to float behind her, bowing its head apologetically.

"D-don't worry, its fine!" Syaoran replied. "Actually, that helped a lot. Thanks, Windy. But…" He took a step away from the door, looking back at it. "...where'd you come from?"

"I went out onto the back patio and walked around," Sakura explained. "I was so worried that you'd gone home, it was a relief to see you still here. Yue said you have a tendency to run from your feelings, so…"

"I do not _run from my feelings_!"

Sakura put her hands up. "I was just repeating what he said!"

Her defense made Syaoran blush, and he turned his head away. "S-sorry. All this has been kinda overwhelming."

"Hey, I hear you." Sakura stepped closer so that she could stand beside him, and Windy began to circle them to offer a cool breeze. "I'm really sorry for putting so much pressure on you. I didn't realize the position I was putting you in. Here I was, asking my friends to help me because I didn't know what to do, and yet I asked you to make the decision all by yourself."

"It wasn't just you. Having everyone else yelling at me didn't help."

"Yeah, makes sense. But even so, I'm sorry."

The two were quiet for a moment, staying still to enjoy the refreshing feeling of Windy's breeze on their faces. Syaoran finally spoke up, his voice low.

"Honestly, Sakura… hearing you say that you trusted me like that… in hindsight, I can't say how much that means to me. Growing up in a family like mine, you learn very quickly that it's hard to know who to trust. The greater your magical power, the more enemies you'll make even without trying. Even someone like you, whose kind and loving nature would soften almost anyone's heart, can become a target simply because of the power you wield. That's why everyone is so wary of Stephanos despite how genuine he appears."

Sakura shifted her weight uneasily. "I know what everyone says about him, but I still trust him. He has strong opinions, but they come from a place of heartache and grief. If no one is there for him, it will only make things worse. I want to be there for him if no one else is. If he's really on our side, he deserves it. And if not... maybe it'll change his mind, y'know?"

"Not really, but I'll leave that up to you." Syaoran let out a slight laugh. "Really, people like you are so rare in the magical community. Not just that you're so good-natured, but that you're optimistic too. It's probably what makes your _invincible spell_ so invincible- it's the only one of its kind. I spent the first ten years of my life learning all there was to know about magic and martial arts, and yet… I've learned so much more in the time I've spent with you. I'm kinder, more understanding, more true to myself, and I'm so much happier for it. But despite that, I can't make a decision like this so easily. It involves your safety and the safety of the cards, and that's not something I can take lightly."

The wind around them intensified, and Syaoran felt a nudge against his cheek. Windy had flown around behind him and moved in for an affectionate nuzzle. Its body wasn't solid, feeling more like a spray of compressed air against his skin than anything else, but the sentiment was clear. Sakura giggled at the sight of it.

"I think she's saying thank you for always caring so much about us."

Syaoran reached a hand over to place on Windy's other cheek. The card smiled and then flew back overhead to continue circling them with cool air. Syaoran turned back to Sakura, shrugging his shoulders in response to her statement.

"Well, I was raised to believe that I would be the one to inherit Clow's magic. I cared about the cards from the get-go. But you…"

He turned to face her, his face turning red as he prepared himself for what he was going to say. She stepped closer, looking up to him with that soft, expectant smile that he'd grown to love so dearly. Without even thinking about it, he reached down and grabbed her hands.

"It's so rare in this business to have someone you can trust wholeheartedly with no reservations. For me to be that for you… to be that for someone I… I… _love…_ more than anything…" He tightened his grip on her hands. His throat had gone dry, and his face was red from more than just the heat, but after what Yue had said, he just couldn't ' _run from his feelings_ ' any longer. "...it makes me so happy. You make me so happy, Sakura. You've helped me through so much, I want to help you as much as I can. I want to be there for you no matter what. That's why I have to think so hard about what to do. I want to make the decision I know will be best for _you_. So, please, just be patient with me a little longer."

"Syaoran…" Sakura's eyes gleamed with the slightest hint of tears. She pressed herself closer to him, holding his hands close to her chest. "You know I'll wait for you as long as it takes. And you shouldn't feel like you have to deal with this alone either! We can make the decision together. As long as we have each other, we'll never be alone."

It was like a scene from a movie, the way the wind was blowing their hair as they gazed into each other's eyes. Syaoran was sure his face was positively glowing red by this point, but he couldn't pull himself away. Their faces were so close already, he leaned in only slightly and the tips of their noses brushed against one another. Feeling he'd initiated something he should've asked about first, Syaoran didn't move any closer, but Sakura was one step ahead of him. She angled her face slightly to better lean in and-

The front door of the Kinomoto's house swung open with a loud _bang,_ causing Sakura and Syaoran to jump away from each other in surprise. Syaoran stumbled over his own feet, falling back into the wall, and Sakura had to hold onto one of the posts. Touya stood on the other side of the doorway, looking back and forth between them with a suspicious glare.

"...what are you two doing out here?"

"W-we were just talking about what happened inside!" Sakura stammered. "And anyway, what are _you_ doing?"

Yukito stepped around Touya and out onto the porch, reaching out for Sakura's hand to help steady her. "Touya just realized how late it's gotten. We're working the breakfast shift at our part time job tomorrow, so we'll have to be up early. I'm sorry we can't stay longer, but-"

"No, no! I'm sorry we kept you so late!" Sakura accepted his help, taking his hand and stepping away from the post. She reached in her pocket for the Windy card and called its physical form back. Once it had disappeared into the card, she turned back to Yukito and Touya, the latter of whom was busy staring daggers at Syaoran. "Thank you guys for coming on such short notice. I'm sorry everything got so crazy- I can't tell you how much I appreciate your input on this."

"Hey, no need to apologize." Touya turned his attention back to his sister, patting her on the head. "You kept your promise to include me in what's going on. I appreciate that. Even if some of your pals are… not exactly my type."

"You mean Akizuki?" Yukito asked with a pleasant smile. "I think she's a lot of fun."

"You _would_ think that, wouldn't you?" Touya groaned. "Anyway, Sakura, I just want to say that it's alright with me if you _do_ decide to take the offer. Just be careful- and make sure you're doing it because _you_ believe it's the right thing to do, not just because someone told you to do it. Got that?"

Sakura smiled and nodded. "Yes, of course."

"Good. And let me know what you do decide. I want to be able to support you as best I can."

"We both do," Yukito added, giving Sakura's hand a quick, affectionate squeeze. "I know Yue will always be involved as your guardian, but remember that I care about you too."

"Thanks, Yukito-san." Sakura leaned in to hug him, and he returned the gesture with a reassuring pat on the back. When they separated again, Touya gave Sakura a pat on the shoulder and then led the way back over to the garage.

"See ya. Good luck." Before he disappeared around the side of the house, he turned back to give Syaoran an ' _I'm-watching-you_ ' gesture. Syaoran crossed his arms and looked away, but Sakura just giggled nervously.

"Shoulde we, uh, go back inside? If you want to stay out here, that's fine, but the others are probably worried too-"

"Yeah, let's go." Syaoran opened the door for her and motioned her inside. "They'll probably be pissed if we keep them waiting too long for a decision only to find out that I need to sleep on it."

"I'm sure they'll understand."

"Yeah? I hope so…"

* * *

When Sakura and Syaoran returned to the living room, the conversation that had been going on immediately stopped, and the group turned around to look at them.

"Oh, Sakura-chan! Thank goodness!" Nakuru jumped up and ran to hug the two. "We were worried that we'd scared you off!"

"What? Of course not…" Sakura choked. She heard Eriol conspicuously clear his throat, and Kero and Stephen- both returned to their small forms- got up from the couch and approached Sakura and Syaoran. They both had their heads bowed, and when they spoke, it was in unison.

" _We're very sorry, Li._ "

Nakuru let go of Syaoran and Sakura, stepping back so that they could converse with the two little animals instead. Sakura reached out, picking up one in each hand and holding them up to Syaoran.

"What… are you guys talking about?" he asked, examining their expressions. "What are you sorry for?"

"It was wrong of us to put so much pressure on you," Stephen answered. "We were yelling, not only at each other, but at you… in a sense. We should not have done that."

"Yeah, we were bein' real jerks," Kero added, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "You've got enough to deal with, helping Sakura and doin' your research and all. The last thing you need is us playing tug-of-war with your logic."

"Will you forgive us for our rudeness, Li Syaoran-sama?"

Syaoran blushed and looked away. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm also sorry for making a scene, so if you guys will forgive me for that, we can call it even."

"Oh, thank you Li Syaoran-sama!" Stephen bowed even further so that he was nearly lying flat on Sakura's hand. Kero, meanwhile, just sat up and sighed.

"Sure, kid. We'll call it even, then."

Tomoyo had stood up to join them, and she gave Syaoran a friendly pat on the back. "It certainly looks like Sakura-chan was able to cheer you up."

"Huh? Wh-what do you mean by that?!" His face flashed red again, and she giggled.

"Syaoran-kun, you blush too easily. You must have overactive blood vessels."

He stiffened and crossed his arms. "No, I- I mean, I don't blush _that_ easily-"

"Aww, his face is so red!" Nakuru threw her arms around Syaoran's shoulders, leaning her whole weight against him. He staggered forward in surprise and pushed her away.

"Can you give that a rest? This is a serious situation!"

"He's correct," Eriol broke in, standing up and prompting Nakuru to let go and step back. "Li-kun, have you made a decision? Or would you like some extra time to think it over? Remember, there's no shame in giving it thorough consideration."

"I… I _would_ like to give it more thought." Syaoran nodded. "I want to discuss it further with Sakura and understand what her own feelings are about the situation. I'm sorry to make you wait, but I want to be sure- I want Sakura to be sure- that the decision we make is the right one."  
Eriol smiled. "Sometimes there isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer to choose. Choices in life aren't a test you take in school where there's a correct and incorrect answer- they're more like a fork in the road, where each path provides a different experience. From where you stand, you may have a very limited view of what each path offers. You must simply choose one to follow and be satisfied with the decision you make."

Nakuru clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. " _Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both-_ " she recited, and was soon joined by Stephen, who landed on her shoulder to chime in.

" _-and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth-"_

Nakuru stopped and looked over at Stephen with a gasp. "You've read Robert Frost?"

"Well, of course! When I realized how long I'd been sealed away, I had to research all the great poetry I had missed. Do you like poetry, Nakuruby?"

"I _love_ poetry! We have tons of English-language poetry books in the library back at Eriol's house. You should come by sometime and we can read together-"

The two continued to chat while Eriol spoke up again to the rest of the group.

"The most important thing to remember is that, once the decision is made, you should pursue it wholeheartedly. Regrets will only cause you trouble in the long run. My guardians and I will support you in whatever decision you make, and I know Kaho will too." He stopped for a moment and sighed. "Nakuru and I really should be getting back. If we return too late, we might disturb our guests."

"Oh, of course!" Sakura bowed in his direction. "Thank you for coming on such short notice! Really, for you to leave your work like that, all for my sake, I… w-well, I just can't thank you enough!"

Eriol chuckled. "Sakura-san, don't forget that the whole reason for my return to Tomoeda was to assist you should you face any difficulties. Call me any time you need me. In the meantime, I'll be contacting my associates back in England for more information on Warp Neon. Perhaps something they know may prove useful."

"Oh, fantastic! Thank you so much!"

"I'll contact you if I find anything suspicious in Clow Reed's archives." Syaoran stepped forward as he spoke. "My sisters said there's still a lot left for them to scan, so there's still a chance I may find something."

"That sounds like a good plan." Eriol smiled at him, giving him an encouraging pat on the back. "Just don't overwork yourself." He paused and turned back to the living room. "Ruby? Are you-?"

" _She ran to London and knocked on the door Of the Lord High Doodelum's coach-and-four-"_

Nakuru and Stephen, meanwhile, were knee-deep in a recitation of their favorite British poetry, barely paying attention to the rest of the conversation.

" _-Please, sir (if there's anyone in), However-and-ever did God begin-?_ "

Kero laughed, interrupting the poem. "Hah! Getting a little serious there for a nursery rhyme, aren't we?"

Nakuru crossed her arms, her pout lasting only long enough to be seen before she launched into another spiel. "Actually, there have been multiple books published concerning the deeper themes present in Milne's children's literature and poetry. One author has even pointed out the presence of major Taoist themes in some of his more popular works."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "From a twentieth-century British children's author?"

"I've read those as well," Eriol answered, stifling a soft laugh at Syaoran's stubborn criticism. "It's not that there was any authorial intent, but rather, that Taoist philosophy asks its followers to view the world with what Western society now considers a _childlike innocence._ Clow Reed was a great proponent of the Taoist principles of simplicity and spontaneity."

Kero scoffed. "Clow Reed never did anything simply, but he was certainly spontaneous."

The comment allowed Eriol the chance to laugh openly, motioning for the others to follow him as he made his way to the door.

"I think the _simplicity_ that Clow Reed embraced was a belief that all things are part of the _Tao_ , or _fate_ as he referred to it. It was by tapping into the knowledge of fate that he could so accurately see future events and prepare for them. This isn't necessarily to say that the future is set in stone, but merely that the forces governing our lives are all connected by fate." He stopped in front of the door, noticing Sakura's blank expression. "I'm sorry to drop so much philosophy on you at one time. There's no need to overthink this, especially not for Clow Reed's sake."

Eriol paused again and took a deep breath. He then reached out with one hand, inviting Sakura to place hers in it.

"When we were voting, I made the mistake of giving you advice as Clow Reed. I'm _not_ Clow Reed, nor will I ever be- even if I do recover the memories that are lost. It's better that I give you advice as Hiiragizawa Eriol. And Eriol's advice is-" Sakura had placed one hand in his, so he covered it with his other hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "-to follow your _heart_ rather than your head. Logic can take you far, but when logic comes to an impasse like this… you must do what you _feel_ is right."

His eyes sparkled with warmth, and Sakura's expression echoed his.

"Thank you. I will."

She _would_ do what she felt was right. She just… didn't know what that was yet.

* * *

Following Kero's advice, Sakura made some tea and served it with a box of cookies she'd pulled from the pantry. The idea was to discuss the situation at the table while they ate, but the kitchen stayed quiet the whole time. Kero consumed at least half of the cookies, but no one protested. They weren't very hungry anyway. It seemed like the situation had put a damper on not just their spirits, but their appetites as well.

After a long, awkward silence as they drank their tea and watched Kero scarf down cookies, Tomoyo finally spoke up.

"It's not like we need to make this decision tonight. We won't see Noboru-sensei until Monday. Why don't we sleep on it and talk more about it tomorrow?"

"Tomoyo-sama is right," Stephen replied, nodding his head. "Forcing ourselves- _yourselves_ \- to make a decision before you're ready will only end in regret. And Eriol-sama said that there should be no regrets in what you choose."

"We're all tired," Kero added in as he shoved another cookie in his mouth and had to pause before he continued so that he could swallow it. "It's late, and it's been a long day. Tomoyo and the kid can go home, and tomorrow we ca-"

As he was speaking, the sound of the front door opening cut him off mid-sentence. The door closed quickly, alongside a " _Sakura! Sorry I'm late!_ "

"Dad!" Sakura jumped up and ran toward the hallway. "Welcome home! There's leftover pork buns in the fridge, if you're hungry. I invited Tomoyo-chan and Syaoran-kun over for dinner, since it was just going to be me."

Fujitaka and Sakura reentered the kitchen, and he smiled over at Tomoyo and Syaoran. "Thank you two for keeping Sakura company while I was working. We just couldn't leave those sensitive artifacts outside with the heat like it is. I'm just sorry you had to stay so late."

"We're always happy to stay with Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo chimed. "And anyway, we hadn't realized how late it was until just now. We were busy discussing a history project for school."

"Oh? What kind of history project?" Fujitaka slid into the empty seat at the table, his eyes lighting up in interest. "You just got a new teacher, right?"

"Yes, so we're just choosing our topic right now. It'll be a group presentation later on in the year. Our topic is due to Noboru-sensei on Monday, so we need to figure out what we're going to do soon."

"I see." Fujitaka nodded. "Well, if you need any help, my specialty is the development of religious iconography. Most of my work has been done in the Peloponnesus and Turkey, but I can help out with local areas too if you're restricted to locations in Japan. You're studying Japanese history this year, right?"

"Well, yes, but Noboru-sensei wants to give us a bigger overview of history with this project, so it's open to other regions of the world." Tomoyo turned to look at Sakura and Syaoran. "That makes it hard to decide. Right, guys?"

"R-right!" Sakura nodded her head, but Syaoran just looked away. Fujitaka frowned and reached out in concern.

"Li-kun? Is something the matter? I thought you loved history."

Syaoran shot to attention, his shoulders going stiff. "I-I do! It's just…"

"Are you having trouble with the new teacher?"

"A little, but…" Syaoran's voice trailed off, and he was quiet for a moment. "...I guess I'm just concerned with making a decision that everyone in the group will be happy with. If not, then we won't be able to work our best, and we could end up getting- er, a _bad grade_."

Fujitaka laughed. "You're so studious, Li-kun, I doubt the teacher would find fault with your work no matter the topic. But I admire your desire to pursue knowledge that you're passionate about. Many students just sort of float through school doing the bare minimum."

Sakura suddenly blushed. "Y-you're not talking about me, are you?"

"No, no, Sakura. I've seen far worse, even in college. You genuinely _try_ , and that's what's important." Fujitaka stood up and moved toward the refrigerator. "I'm going to heat up one of those pork buns. All that moving stuff around really wore me out."

As he placed the bun in the microwave, he glanced over at the outdoor thermometer attached to the window. His eyes widened in concern, and he turned back toward the table.

"Tomoyo-san, Li-kun, how were you two planning to get home? Do you need rides?"

"I-I was just going to walk home," Syaoran replied. "It's not far. Don't worry about me."

Tomoyo nodded her head. "I was thinking about calling my mother, but my home is in the same direction as Syaoran-kun's, so I thought I'd walk with him-"

"I can't let you two do that," Fujitaka interrupted. "It's too hot for anyone to be walking a long distance. I can drive you two home, or you can stay the night here. It's your choice."

"S-stay here?" Syaoran stammered. "But we… I-I mean, where would we… would _I_ …?"

"Tomoyo-san has slept over in Sakura's room plenty of times. And you can stay in Touya's old room, Li-kun."

"Is that… is that really alright?"

The microwave beeped, and Fujitaka offered Syaoran a smile before turning to retrieve his dinner. "Of course it's alright. I offered, didn't I?"

"Well, yes…" Syaoran looked across the table at the others. "...alright, then. If Tomoyo-san decides to stay, I'll stay as well."

Tomoyo pushed her chair back and hopped to her feet. "I'll call my mother and let her know I'm sleeping over!"

As she pulled out her phone and excused herself into the hallway, Fujitaka sat down and began eating. Syaoran and Sakura stayed quiet, both caught up in their thoughts. The only noise was Fujitaka eating and Tomoyo chattering from the next room. Noticing the tension, Fujitaka set down his half-eaten bun and spoke up again.

"Is something troubling you two?"

"No, it's nothing!" Sakura replied, shaking her head. "We're fine, we just-"

Syaoran had started speaking too, and Sakura cut off as soon as she realized so that she could listen. "It's just that… I want to make a decision based on everyone's desires, but at the same time, I don't want to make a decision that will cause trouble for my teammates. Even if it's something they feel strongly about, if they can't handle the work involved, then…"

"Li-kun-" Fujitaka interrupted, and Syaoran looked up suddenly. "-I can't make any decisions for you, but let me offer you the advice that I've always followed in my work. It's important not to overwork yourself, but if you pass up a project you're passionate about just because there is a lot of work involved, you'll find yourself with regrets. Taking the easy route is fine, but if you _do_ decide to pursue something that you care a great deal about, you'll find the work easier than you thought. You may even find it easier than the alternative, because your feelings will propel your work. Does that make sense?"

Syaoran didn't say anything, but he nodded mutely. Sakura stood up, scooping up Kero and Stephen and motioning toward the hall with her free hand.

"I'm, uh, going to go get my room ready for Tomoyo. Thank you, Dad, for letting them stay."

"Of course!" Fujitaka chimed, offering a smile in reply. "Li-kun, once I'm finished eating, I'll show you to Touya's old room. You can sleep in some of my old pajamas, if they're not too big."

Syaoran felt his face burn in embarrassment, but he steeled himself to say thank-you. It was the least he could do.

"I… I appreciate it. Thank you."

"And, Li-kun? Try not to get too bogged down in this. It's just a school project, after all. I know you're the kind of person who wants to make all the right decisions in your life, but for something like this? Just have fun with it."

"Have fun with it," Syaoran repeated, staring down at the tabletop. "I'll try."

* * *

"This is exciting, Sakura-chan! We haven't had a sleepover in so long!"

Despite the seriousness of the evening's events, Tomoyo was cheerful as she and Sakura prepared for bed. Sakura, meanwhile, was quiet. She'd started to dry her hair after getting out of the bath, but her hair had long since dried, and at this point she was just blowing it around rather than doing anything.

"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo repeated her name and sat down beside her. She took hold of the hair dryer, switching it off. "Sakura-chan, you're going to dry out your hair too much if you keep blowing it like that. Let me brush it for you."

"O-oh, thanks," Sakura murmured, unplugging the hair dryer and setting it aside. "Sorry, I've just been thinking about things."

"What kinds of things?" Tomoyo began running the brush through Sakura's hair, taking care to move gently against the scalp in case Sakura had accidentally scalded herself. Sakura didn't flinch at the touch of the brush, so Tomoyo moved more confidently and continued speaking. "Is it about what your dad said? I could hear a little of the conversation while I was waiting for my mom to pick up. Something about choosing what you're passionate about over what's easiest…?"

"Ah, I guess so. But that's not entirely it." Sakura started to shake her head, but with the brush in her hair, it was more of a toss of her head to one side. "Tomoyo-chan, can I… can I tell you something?"

Tomoyo pulled the brush away, a glint of happiness appearing in her eyes. "Sakura-chan, you know you can tell me anything!"

"It's… well… it's about Syaoran and me…"

Sakura fidgeted with her hands, and Tomoyo scooted around the other side of her so that they could speak face to face. She said nothing, not wanting to alarm Sakura, just nodding quietly for Sakura to continue.

"...we… while we were outside talking about what happened, we… he and I..." Her face had turned red, and she forced the words out through embarrassment. "...we… almost kissed."

Tomoyo let out a little gasp. "Oh!"

Relieved of the burden of secrecy, Sakura was able to talk more fluidly now. "W-we didn't, though! Onii-chan and Yukito-san came through the door before we could. I don't think it was on purpose, because they couldn't see us, but I think Touya could see what was going on and he wasn't happy. Syaoran-kun seemed embarrassed too. I don't know what to do- should I bring it up later? If I don't, it might be awkward. But I'm scared that he won't try to kiss me again if I _don't_ say anything…"

"And you want him to try again?"

"Um, well…" Sakura's face went red, and she got choked up again. "...I think… it would be nice… but if he's too nervous because of what happened, then…"

Tomoyo laughed. "You don't seem to have any idea how persistent Syaoran-kun can be when it comes to his feelings for Sakura-chan!"

"Huh?" The statement was enough to break through Sakura's embarrassment again, and she raised her eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sakura-chan really doesn't know…" Tomoyo murmured, covering her mouth in an attempt to hide the sly smile that spread across her face. "...how many times Syaoran-kun tried to confess his feelings for you before he actually succeeded."

"Wh-wha-?"

"Oh yes!" Tomoyo put the brush down and clapped her hands together. "He tried so hard, again and again, no matter how many times he was interrupted! No matter how many times Kero-chan got in his way-"

"Hey!" Kero called from where he was lounging on the windowsill. "It's not like I did it on purpose or anythin'!"

Sakura, meanwhile, was looking at Tomoyo in surprise. "He… he really tried that many times to confess to me?"

"He did. And no matter how many times he was interrupted, he tried again and again until he finally succeeded. So I know-" Tomoyo smiled, reaching out to place one hand gently against Sakura's cheek. "-that, for something as important as his first kiss with Sakura-chan, he won't give up so easily. That means you can't give up either, okay?"

"This is true," Stephen agreed, hopping down from the pile of plushies where he'd been curled up. "A relationship like the one you share with Li Syaoran-sama is a balance of two people's feelings and desires. If there is a form of physical affection you seek, you shouldn't be content with waiting for him to make the first move. Make sure he's comfortable with it, and initiate yourself."

Kero scoffed. "If I didn't know you were talkin' about a kiss, I'd say you were givin' her advice about more _serious_ stuff."

" _Kero-chan!_ " Sakura's face flashed red, and she balled a fist in his direction. "Kissing _is_ serious stuff when you're only sixteen!"

Tomoyo giggled, and Kero let out a sigh. "Such an innocent soul…"

"It's all part of Sakura-chan's charm."

Sakura looked back and forth between the two of them and finally let out a groan. "Will you guys give it a rest? I'm genuinely upset over this."

Tomoyo reached out and took Sakura's hands in hers. "I'm sorry for laughing, Sakura-chan. Stephen is right. I know that Syaoran-kun won't give up just because of one setback, so you shouldn't give up either. Just be adamant about it. If you aren't, then your chances could pass you by one by one until it becomes more of a running gag every chapter than an actual effort."

"...running gag? Chapter?" Sakura frowned. "You're making it sound like this is some poorly-written romance novel."

Kero laughed. "Yeah, right! With all these Warp Cards flyin' around, it's more like a poorly-written adventure novel!"

"Until we know just how Noboru-sensei came to have Warp Neon's memories and abilities to control the cards," Stephen corrected, "I believe it to be more along the lines of a poorly-written mystery novel."

Tomoyo glanced around and crossed her arms. "Why is it that the only consensus we can reach is that it's poorly-written? Why can't it be a _well-written_ novel, no matter the genre?"

"Wouldn't it be conceited of us to praise a work in which we appear as major characters?" Stephen asked. "Besides, many acclaimed works of literature end on awfully sad terms. I'd rather my story be poorly-written with a happy ending than well-written with a sad one."

There was a moment of silence, and Sakura finally stood up, removing the towel from her shoulders and folding it up. Tomoyo picked up the hair dryer and stood up beside her, wrapping the cord as she spoke up again.

"It's fun and all to joke, but we have to remember that, if our lives really are a story, then _we're_ the ones writing them. So we have the power to give ourselves a happy ending. No matter what we do, let's focus on that."

Sakura smiled. "Tomoyo-chan is right! Everything will _definitely_ be okay!"

"And Sakura is _definitely_ gonna get that kiss from her boyfriend…"

" _Kero-chan!_ "

* * *

Sakura and Tomoyo fell asleep easily, and the sound of Kero's snoring could be heard even outside the drawer. But Stephen couldn't manage to sleep, no matter how he tried. He settled in his usual spot among the stuffed animals Sakura had sitting against the windowsill, but his mind kept focusing on the memory of Noboru's face. He could still feel the man's fingers closed around the scruff of his neck, and the dark eyes burning into his own. Noboru didn't look anything like the Warp Neon he remembered, at least superficially. But he spoke with exactly the same air of superiority Warp had. It was that same, awful, gut-wrenching tone that sent shivers through Stephen's fur. He remembered that voice all too well…

" _It wasn't my intention to kill her, merely to curse her. Her blood is not on my hands."_

...that awful, awful voice…

" _So long as you continue to collect the Warp Cards, I will not do you any favors. If they kill you, your blood will not be on my hands._ "

It was too much. Stephen couldn't bear it any longer. He jumped up from the pile of plushies and floated toward the door, carefully opening it so as not to wake the others. Floating down the stairs and over to the living room, he became aware of the sound of the air conditioning running on the other side of the door. Someone else was in there, but he wasn't sure who- especially since there wasn't a light on. Sakura and Tomoyo had both been asleep when he'd left, and it was doubtful that Sakura's father would sit in the dark in his own home. That only left…

"Li Syaoran-sama?"

Syaoran had been sitting on the couch, staring out the window. Stephen's voice gave him a sudden start, and he jumped, falling into an odd position half on the couch itself and half on the armrest.

"Wh-wh-where did you come from? Don't scare me like that!"

"My apologies. I was just surprised to see you here. You can't sleep either, I gather?"

Syaoran turned to look away. "There was just… more I had to think through, I guess. I couldn't stop thinking about what Mr. Kinomoto said, and that made it too hard to fall asleep. I know I need to rest, but…"

"No, if you need to think, then you should take the time to think. Your racing mind shows that there are still aspects of the new information you need to process."

There was a pause, and Syaoran only just seemed to realize what language they'd been conversing in. "Wait a minute! You… you speak Hong Kong Cantonese?"

"I was created in Hong Kong, remember? Warp Neon created me with the ability to speak the variety of languages found there, including English, French, and Japanese as well."

"Ah, that's right." Syaoran nodded and looked out the window again, his speech almost absentminded. "You were created in Hong Kong, weren't you?"

"I suppose that's just another thing we have in common, right Li Syaoran-sama?"

That question took Syaoran off-guard. He turned so that he could face the other side of the couch where Stephen was sitting. "What do you mean, _just another thing_?"

"Er, I'm sorry, I was just…" The look in Syaoran's eyes was frightening, and Stephen shifted uncomfortably. "It's just that, when I see you with Sakura-sama, the way that you care for her and protect her… it just makes me think of Chioni. It makes me want, more than anything, to help you protect the person you love the way I couldn't."

Syaoran had one arm resting on the back of the couch, and he balled his hand into a tight fist. "This isn't the same."

"I wasn't insinuating it was! You and Sakura-sama are far different than Chioni and I! You're both human, for one. And she…" Stephen's voice took on a melancholy color. "...she loves you back."

The statement surprised Syaoran enough for him to relax his tensed shoulders and release his fist. "...Chioni didn't…"

"I mean, it's not that she didn't care for me. We were close, always. But she fell in love with someone else. It was only natural, of course, and I shouldn't have been upset. A human belonged with another human, not with a guardian beast-"

"Wait a minute-" Syaoran cut him off. "- _human?_ I thought you said Chioni was your fellow guardian. You never said she was a human."

"I didn't? I could swear I did. It's true, she wasn't really a guardian created by Warp Neon, but rather, a human to whom he entrusted the care of his cards. It's not as though it makes a difference-"

Syaoran scooted closer, cutting off Stephen's statement. "Who was she? Why did Warp Neon ask her to guard his cards and then kill her? That would've been important for us to know when we were discussing Noboru-sensei's intentions for Sakura!"

Stephen drew back, his ears drooping. "I… I… I didn't…" His hesitance made Syaoran realize just how abrasive he'd been, and he leaned back too.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to yell. It's just that, if you're making all these connections between Sakura and Chioni, I need to know why. I need to know who Chioni was, what made her vulnerable to Warp Neon, and how that might affect Sakura. Will you please tell me?"

There was a silence between them, and Stephen finally heaved a sigh. He shifted his weight and moved close to Syaoran's shoulder so that he could be heard without speaking too loudly.

"Warp Neon didn't seek out Chioni, but rather, was sort of stuck with her. She was his granddaughter by blood, but he treated her more like a servant than family."

"So Warp Neon had children?" Syaoran asked. "If she was his granddaughter, I mean."

"Technically, yes. I don't know much about his children, because he didn't keep in contact with them, but I know he had a few. Back in England, his reputation as a magician grew so great that sorceresses from a variety of families made offers to him in exchange for fathering their children, hoping that they could add to their family's powers. Warp only indulged a few of these requests, one of them being from the Helene family. They were a reputable sorcery clan from the north of France but there must have been some family turmoil, because Chioni's father was exiled from the family and eventually came to England to seek his father. He and his wife died when Chioni was very young, and with no family to take her in, she ended up with Warp Neon as her legal guardian. This was around the time that Clow Reed's notoriety was reaching England, so when Warp packed up and moved to Hong Kong, he took little Chioni with him."

Syaoran nodded silently, not wanting to interrupt the story, but wanting to acknowledge that he was listening. When it seemed like Stephen wasn't going to continue right away, he spoke up to prompt him.

"How did she die? Why… why did Warp Neon turn on her?"

Stephen's expression clouded as he dredged up the memories. Up until now, he'd been speaking about events he'd only known _of_. But now he was going to be giving an actual account of events he'd witnessed, and Syaoran could see the pain in his eyes, even in the darkness of the room.

"...Chioni… fell in love… and Warp Neon disapproved," he finally said, his face downcast. "When they decided to get married, Warp Neon forbade it. Chioni defied his wishes, saying she'd only run away if he tried to lock her up. I was prepared to help her escape, but Warp… decided to let her go. It wasn't until later that I realized he'd put a latent curse on her, but by then there was nothing I could do."

"A curse?" Syaoran murmured.

"A curse of deterioration- particularly of physical wellbeing. It was hidden within her body, waiting to manifest when it found pain on which it could feed and grow. Those curses grow stronger and stronger the more pain their host suffers, physical, mental, or emotional. But Chioni was happy, healthy, and well-cared for. She was surrounded by people who loved her, who showed her the kindness that her grandfather never had."

Stephen stopped before the part of the story that Syaoran knew he must be leading up to, so he started the next sentence himself.

"...until…?"

At the prompt, Stephen raised his head again. "Li Syaoran-sama, do you know what is the most painful experience a human can ever undergo?"

Syaoran thought for only a moment. "Losing someone you love," he answered.

"I- er, yes, I suppose that's true. But I mean _physical_ pain. What is the greatest physical pain a human body can endure?"

"I suppose that would be…" Syaoran began, and realized the implication of what Stephen was getting at before he even finished his sentence. "...oh _no_ …"

Once again, Stephen lowered his head. "Clow Reed sensed the latent curse long before anyone else did. He warned her of its ability to feed on pain. He warned her it would be dangerous, that delivering a child would put her at risk of succumbing to the curse's effects. She told me all that he'd told her, but confessed… how much she wanted to have a family. I never wanted to see her sad. I ignored the curse's potential. I encouraged her and her husband not to let Warp Neon get in the way of the family they wanted to have. And just over a year later, Chioni gave birth to baby girl, Lian. I never saw her so happy as when she was with her daughter, and yet…"

Syaoran was silent. He was growing impatient with the rambling nature of the story, but at the same time, the raw emotion in Stephen's account kept him from interrupting. It felt like the first time Stephen had truly relayed the details of these events to another person, the way he was pausing and grasping at memories. If this was just a ploy to gain his sympathy, it was a damn good one for sure.

"...it was a difficult birth, and it left Chioni vulnerable to the curse. Within days, it had consumed her. When Lian was only ten days old, Chioni… died." Stephen's voice hitched as he said the word. He continued on, almost barreling through the rest of the story. "I didn't know what had happened. Clow Reed had promised me he'd find a way to remove the curse. But Warp Neon told me a different story, that Clow Reed had instead killed Chioni because he believed the search for a cure would be too time-consuming and didn't want to spare the resources. Like an idiot, I believed him- after all, it wasn't a curse meant to kill its victim, but rather to make its victim suffer a pain worse than death. I thought that _someone_ had to have killed her, and in my grief, I let Warp Neon paint a target on Clow Reed for me. I sought revenge, nearly killing Kerberos and Yue- and myself- in the process. Clow Reed was powerful enough to have killed me when I came after him. It was only when he spared my life that I calmed down enough to listen to the whole story."

"Which was…?" Syaoran prompted as Stephen paused.

"Chioni's true cause of death was blood poisoning from an infection that had grown severe following the curse's hold on her. Even though the curse was only meant to cause psychological pain, it had the side effect of weakening its host's immune system. Clow showed me the medical records, everything that doctors had done when they realized she was going into septic shock. Certain kinds of healing magic can patch up wounds, but no magic had yet been developed to combat bacterial infections. There was nothing they could do."

Syaoran's stomach churned as he realized that Stephen had begun to cry.

"I… I went back to Warp Neon to confront him about what happened. He said that it hadn't been his intention to kill her… that it wasn't his fault… that…" His voice cracked as he kept speaking. "...that her _blood wasn't on his hands._ It was the same thing he said about Sakura-sama today in the classroom. He was always like that, doing things that he knew would hurt other people and claiming that he wasn't responsible because it _wasn't his intention._ It feels like, in saying that, he's already staked his claim on Sakura-sama, no matter the decision she makes…"

Syaoran broke in, giving Stephen a chance to regain his composure.

"I will _not_ let him hurt Sakura. You have my word on that. No matter what happens, no matter what dangers she might face, I'll be right there by her side. So cry for Chioni if you need to, but don't cry for Sakura's sake."

Stephen sniffled and looked up at Syaoran with a beaming smile. "Oh, Li Syaoran-sama, thank you. Not only for your willingness to listen to my story, by for your words of reassurance. Knowing that Chioni's bravery lives on in her descendants makes me happier than you can imagine."

The thanks was genuine, but Syaoran didn't understand the last part of Stephen's statement. Was Stephen talking about _him_?

"I'm sorry, I'm confused. What do you mean, _lives on in her descendants?_ You're not talking about me, are you?"

"Well, of course. You are the son of the Li clan, are you not? Chioni's husband was Li Xiaohe, next in line to be the head of the Li family."

The name was unfamiliar to Syaoran, and he spoke it with some confusion. "Xiaohe… no, there must be some mistake. Li is one of the most common names in China, after all. Perhaps you have the wrong family-"

"No, no, no! I mean Li Xiaohe, son of Li Zhixiong, cousin and apprentice of Clow Reed. Surely you know of him!"

Syaoran perked up at the second name. "Li Zhixiong was Clow Reed's uncle, right?"

"Yes!"

"Then Li Xiaohe was his son?"

"That's right!"

"And was the father of Li Baoyi?"

"Ye-" Stephen began once more in affirmation, but stopped as he processed the statement. "Wait, who? You said the name was Baoyi?"

"Li Baoyi, the first head of the Li family under Clow Reed's teachings. He succeeded his grandfather, Li Zhixiong, but because Baoyi was raised by Clow Reed, he completely changed the way they viewed and practiced magic."

"...s-so…" Stephen began to stammer. "...Li Xiaohe was never head of the family?"

"If he was, we have no records of it."

"And his daughter, Li Lian? Is she in your records?"

"No. I've never heard or read that name anywhere in the family history."

Stephen looked stricken. His eyes were wide, and his ears had drooped flat against his head. "I… I don't understand… what happened to them, then?"

"You don't know?"

"Of course I don't!" Stephen raised his voice as he snapped back, jumping up from the couch. "When I confronted Warp Neon about his part in Chioni's death, he sealed me away in the book! Then, when Clow Reed defeated Warp, he simply renewed the seal on the book with his own magic. I know nothing about what became of Chioni's family!"

Syaoran stiffened. "Okay, I get it. You don't have to yell about it."

"B-but, if Xiaohe never became head of the family, what happened to him? Was he cast out of the family for his connections with Warp Neon? Did they send Lian with him? Is that why the Li family erased every piece of information on Warp Neon from their records- they didn't want to admit that they'd cast out one of their own-"

"Stop, _stop_!" Syaoran jumped to his feet, his voice mirroring Stephen's in its intensity. "How _dare_ you say that about my family? You have nothing to base it on, and making foundless accusations isn't going to do any good!"

Stephen shrunk back, his tail tucked between his back legs. "But what am I supposed to think? Finding out that Chioni's only family not only forgot about her, but about her daughter as well… I don't know how else to explain it."

"Xiaohe might have left the family of his own accord to protect his daughter from suffering the same fate as her mother! That would make just as much sense if not moreso!"

"But then why would the family erase their records of him?"

"Th-that's…"

" _Just WHAT is going on down here?!_ "

That was Kero's voice, coming through the doorway and echoing around the room. Syaoran and Stephen both looked up to see Kero sitting on Sakura's shoulder as she stood in the doorway with Tomoyo beside her. Sakura stepped forward, looking back and forth between them.

"We came downstairs because we heard yelling. Stephen wasn't in my room, so we got worried that something bad might be happening. I used _Sleep_ to make sure my dad doesn't wake up… Syaoran-kun, what's going on?"

Syaoran felt his face go red as he processed the worry on her face. She really thought they might be in danger, when all they were doing was having a stupid argument. "W-we… we…" he stammered.

"Li Syaoran-sama and I were having a conversation about the past. I'm very sorry if we woke you," Stephen spoke up. "I became emotional and said some hurtful things that I should not have. They were merely speculation, and had no basis in fact, and Li Syaoran was trying to get me to see reason. I apologize for my actions, both to you-" He turned back to Syaoran, bowing his head. "-and to you, Syaoran-sama. I am very sorry for my accusations. I will not say such things again."

His apology was so formal, Syaoran wasn't sure how to respond. "I-I… I mean… it's okay. I shouldn't have yelled. I think I'm just tired, and the heat is getting to my head."

"It _is_ hot in here," Kero commented, glancing up at the air conditioner on the opposite wall. "Did you turn that on?"

"Yeah. It's been on for… thirty minutes, maybe?"

"That long? The room should be cool by now." Tomoyo pulled her phone from her pocket and flipped through to a local weather app. "Unless it's… _OH_!"

"What's wrong?" Sakura leaned over to see the phone screen and let out a gasp of her own. " _Fourty-five degrees_? That's impossible! That's hotter than it _ever_ gets here, even in the summer!"

Kero groaned, stretching out on Sakura's shoulder. "Geez… it's almost October. Why is it so hot?"

An answer wasn't immediately offered, but in the silence that followed, Stephen's small voice finally spoke up in a whisper.

"...it's The Heat."

With a scoff, Kero sat up again and looked over at him. "Yeah, no kidding. Got any other brilliant observations for us, Captain Obvious?"

"No, no! What I mean is, it's got to be the Heat Card!" Stephen flew over next to Sakura and grabbed Kero's paws, tugging him off her shoulder. "I was so upset over our conversation with Noboru-sensei today, I didn't even notice the card's effects before they became severe! I'm so sorry, Sakura-sama!"

Sakura frowned, reaching for her key. "So you're saying that this heat wave is being caused by a Warp Card?"

"Yes, almost certainly!"

"Then it's only going to get hotter until we do something," Tomoyo added. "Stephen, where can we find this card? How can it be captured?"

Stephen let go of Kero, instead placing one paw against his chin as he thought it over. "I'm not sure. The Heat is a card with long-range effects, much like The Feral. It would have to be lured out over a long distance. But unlike with Feral, I don't know if there's an easy way to do that."

"Is there a way t' find the center of the heat wave or somethin'?" Kero asked, flying over to the window. "Some way to know where the card is hiding?"

"I'm afraid not. Heat's effects are evenly distributed over a specific area, and it can move freely about that area without changing the boundaries. The only way to know for sure where it is would be to lure it out- but, again, I don't know how we'd do that."

Syaoran scowled, closing his eyes tightly. "How are we supposed to attract the attention of a card like that? If it can affect us from far away, there's no reason for it to come into close enough quarters for us to fight."

"And we can't go out and search for it," Tomoyo added. "Not in heat like this, at least. We'd be overcome by heatstroke before we got anywhere- unless, perhaps, we were to use a Sakura Card like The Freeze or The Snow to keep us cool…"

There was a pause, and suddenly Sakura clapped her hands together.

"Tomoyo-chan, that's it!"

"What is? Keeping cool while we search, you mean?"

Sakura shook her head. "Not quite. If we use The Freeze and The Snow, then we won't have to go searching at all. We can force The Heat to come to us!"

"Force it?" Kero turned away from the window to look back at her. Sakura nodded, and Syaoran gasped.

"You don't mean…"

"It's just like in our science lesson," Sakura answered with a nod. "According to thermodynamics, heat is just another form of energy. And energy always moves from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration. So if we can cool the area around us- say, the yard around my house, for instance- then The Heat will have no choice but to come to us."

"Sakura-sama, that's genius!" Stephen cried. "Then you'll be able to draw Heat out and convert it into a Sakura Card!"

" _Or_ , she could put a seal on it using The Shield," Kero interrupted. "That way, if she chooses to do so, she can take it in to her teacher on Monday. It's up to Sakura."

"I… I…" Sakura stammered, and looked over at Syaoran. He knew she was asking for his input, but he didn't have an answer for her at the moment.

"Let's just go ahead and lure in the card," he said. "Once we know what we're up against, we can decide the best course of action. Is that alright, Sakura?"

"Yes, that's fine." Sakura nodded, already retrieving both The Freeze and The Snow. "Let's go outside, then. I'm going to turn this place into a winter wonderland."

Tomoyo smiled and held up her camera. "I'm glad I brought this with me, then!"

"You-" Sakura began, and then sighed. "...just be careful, Tomoyo-chan."

"Will do!"

* * *

Getting Freeze to freeze the ground enough that Snow's wintry mix could stick to it was a simple enough job. But as soon as Sakura called them back, everything started melting. She knew that she needed to be able to use a defensive card in case Heat attacked, but watching their carefully-thought-out trap melt around them as they waited was nerve wracking.

Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long.

Sakura was standing on her porch, tightly gripping her sealing wand in preparation for the card to appear through the gate. Stephen had described its physical form as a winged humanoid creature, warning that it held a vase full of scalding water that could be used to severely burn potential opponents. Don't, under any circumstances, let yourself be touched by the water, he explained. A pretty obvious warning, but at the very least she appreciated knowing what to expect. But it was only when a crash and a massive plume of steam emanated from around the side of the house when Sakura realized that the card was not going to actually enter the front gate. It felt obvious too, but somehow it threw her off. Syaoran made a dash for the side of the house, but Sakura called out to him.

"Wait! Let me go first! The card may try to flee if it feels too threatened. Stephen said it prefers to attack from a long distance."

"But…"

He began to protest, but Sakura had already run past him and around the side of the house. She stopped short as she saw the source of the steam- the figure of a winged boy was standing in a clearing where the snow had melted around his feet. Tucked under one arm was an amphora, the mouth of which was spilling steaming water onto the lawn. The grass under the stream of water, as well as that below the boy's bare feet, had turned brown and wilted. He turned, saw Sakura, and ran in the opposite direction, unfurling his large, tawny wings and taking off into the sky. Sakura fished a card from her pocket and tapped it with her staff.

"FLY!"

A pair of pink wings appeared on Sakura's back and she took off after Heat. As expected, it could only skirt around the edges of the Kinomoto's property, staying within the confines of Freeze and Snow's effects. The snow was almost all slush by this point, however, and everything hit by the steaming water pouring from the card's amphora melted instantly. If she delayed any longer, the yard would warm up again and Heat would be free to escape the way it seemed intent on doing.

 _It really looks like it's trying to get away… is it that frightened of me?_

Just as she was thinking this, Sakura began to close in on the card. Fly allowed her to move faster than Heat did, and it noticed as well. Instead of continuing to flee, Heat turned around mid-air and shifted its grip on the amphora. It turned the opening toward Sakura, and a jet of scalding water shot out in her direction. Sakura let out a yelp and dove out of the way, knocked off balance by the sudden change in air pressure from the steam. As she flapped around trying to regain her balance, Heat closed the gap between them, raising the amphora above its head as though it were going to toss it at her. But instead, the vessel remained still and the water poured out in a jet directed at Sakura.

" _God of ice, obey thy command! Come forth!"_

Syaoran's voice echoed from below, and before the jet of water could reach Sakura, it was frozen solid in the air. The stream of ice plummeted to the ground, and Syaoran had to dive out of the way, pulling with him Tomoyo, who seemed determined to capture the most dangerous shots possible.

The Heat turned to look at Syaoran momentarily, giving Sakura time to find her balance and circle around.

"Syaoran-kun, that gives me an idea! Can you do that again?"

"Huh?" Syaoran picked himself up, and his eyes widened. "-look out!"

Heat had lunged toward Sakura again with the amphora outstretched, but this time she was ready. She turned and held out another card, tapping it with her staff.

"Turn its water attacks back at it to surround it with a rope of water! _WATERY_!"

As the jet of water shot toward Sakura, Watery's physical form appeared and redirected it, sending it spiraling back at Heat and surrounding Heat's physical form. Sakura looked back down at Syaoran with a quick " _now!"_ that he understood instantly. Again, he summoned ice powers, freezing the rope of water into a solid block that held fast to Heat's wings and sent it careening to the ground. It landed in the yard, struggling against the chains of ice that were already beginning to sublimate as its physical form touched them. Sakura knew she only had moments, and she glanced down at the Shield card she'd pulled from her deck. It would only take a second to seal Heat back to its card form, but… something about that didn't feel right. She could feel Fly's hesitance coursing through her wings, and Watery and Shield sent her similar thoughts from their spot in her hands. It seemed like the cards were saying-

" _Sakura! Transform it!_ "

The words were Syaoran's, yelled with as much force as he could muster over the sound of steam hissing from the ice. Sakura glanced back at him only momentarily, but the look they shared gave her all the information she needed, and she turned back with a renewed conviction. Putting Shield and Watery away, she instead raised her staff and brought it down over Heat's physical form.

" _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from my light! SAKURA CARD!"_

The Heat was consumed in a bright flash, and once the light died down, all that remained in the spot where it had been was a single card. The card flew over to Sakura, who reached out to take it in her hand. A series of cards flew out of her pocket of their own accord, fluttering around her hand to get a better look at their new companion- among them Freeze, Snow, Fly, Watery, Shield, and even Windy. Sakura smiled, letting the cards have their moment and then collecting them in her hands to hold close to her chest.

"Thank you, everyone-" she murmured, hugging them tightly. She then turned around to where Syaoran was watching with restrained curiosity. Kero was sitting on his shoulder, while Tomoyo and Stephen stayed a short distance away. "-and thank _you_."

"I… didn't know whether I should interfere or not," Syaoran admitted. "I didn't want to get in your way. But Kero saw that you were in danger, and I couldn't help myself."

"You did the right thing! If it weren't for you, I would've been burnt for sure! And you gave me the inspiration for how to catch Heat. I couldn't use both Watery _and_ Freeze while I was flying, so having your ice powers was a big help. I'm so glad you were here."

Before Syaoran could say anything else, Sakura had run to hug him, throwing her arms around his shoulders. He hugged her back, squeezing her waist as he pulled her close. "I'm… so glad I was here too…" he murmured.

While the two were caught up in their embrace, Stephen turned to see a faint outline of a winged figure disappearing against the night sky. He frowned, glancing over at Kero to confirm that he'd seen it too. "Messenger," Stephen murmured, and Kero nodded back at him.

"Probably off to go tell its new master exactly what happened. There's no getting around it- the fact that Sakura transformed the card sends a clear message about her decision on the matter."

"I…" Syaoran broke away from the hug. "...I'm sorry to make the decision so quickly like that. It wasn't fair of me to throw that at you when you were under so much pressure, but-"

"No, it's okay." Sakura shook her head. "I can't be sure, but… in that moment, before you said anything, I felt like the cards were telling me exactly the same thing. I thought I had asked everyone their opinion about my decision, but I forgot the most important person of all to ask. I should've asked the _cards_ too. And the cards seemed to want me to transform it."

Kero flew over to perch on Sakura's arm. "Am I to take this as you making a decision?"

"Yes," Sakura replied with a nod. "I can't say how Warp Neon treated his cards, or how Noboru-sensei will treat his cards. But I know how _I_ will, and that's with the love and respect they deserve from their master. So I want to capture and transform all the Warp Cards, to give them all that chance."

Stephen let out a soft " _Sakura-sama_ ," and Syaoran gave a proud nod of approval. Kero turned towards her and tapped his chest.

"Alrighty, then. As your guardian beast, I reaffirm my commitment to helping you capture and transform the cards. I'm behind you on this, no matter what."

Sakura beamed. "Thank you, Kero-chan! ...er…" Her voice wavered at the end of the sentence, as she found herself shivering. It had been hot in her room, so the pajamas she was wearing were no more than a tank top over a pair of athletic shorts. With her sandals not helping much to separate her feet from the half-frozen ground, she was awfully cold.

"Sakura?" Syaoran asked, stepping closer again. "Are you okay?"

"F-fine. It's just… with all this snow around, it's kinda cold."

Not even thinking, Syaoran instinctively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his side. "Is that better?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks."

They stayed like that for a moment before Sakura pulled away- not entirely, just enough so that they could stand face to face. She leaned up, moving her face to the side so that she could brush her lips against his. He tensed up, and she jerked her head back.

"I-I'm sorry! I should've asked first!"

"No, it's- it's okay. I was just surprised." Syaoran's face reddened, but he forced a smile for her sake. "I would've said yes."

"Even so, I should have asked."

"Well, then…" he ventured, "...may I, um… kiss you?"

Sakura felt her face flush hot with a mix of embarrassment and delight. "Yes!"

Syaoran leaned down for a better angle, and the two placed their lips together slowly, almost unsure of where they should go. Syaoran pursed his lips slightly, and Sakura closed hers around his bottom lip, enjoying the warmth that spread through her whole body from just that one small touch. She finally pulled back, a soft smile on her face, and observed his similar expression. The nervous butterflies in her stomach wouldn't be still, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling at all. Not this time.

A shrill "OH _NO!"_ from beside them sent Sakura and Syaoran spinning around. Tomoyo was holding her camera, looking into a blank screen with an expression of dismay.

"My camera battery died! It was right before you actually kissed too! I can't believe it- I totally had it charging before we went to sleep too! How is that possible?"

Sakura was still cold, but she could feel a drop of sweat make its way down her brow. "It's okay, Tomoyo-chan. You got the card capture, right?"

"Yes, but… this was important. It was Sakura-chan's super special first kiss…"

"We're not going to recreate it for you, if that's what you're implying." Syaoran was quick to jump in before she even asked. Tomoyo, however, seemed scandalized at the very idea.

"Are you kidding? There's no way to recreate the tender sweetness of a kiss like that! Oh, if only I'd changed out the battery sooner…"

As Tomoyo continued to talk with Sakura and Syaoran, Kero moved over to the fence, where Stephen had taken a perch after Tomoyo's outburst. He sat down beside Stephen and nudged him.

"You wouldn't have had anything to do with Tomoyo's camera actin' strange, would'ya?"

Stephen looked away. "It just… seemed like a special moment between Sakura-sama and Syaoran-sama. I didn't want that weird piece of technology to desecrate it."

Kero laughed. "Hey, maybe you're not so bad after all! Just don't let Tomoyo know it was you, or you'll be in big trouble!"

There was a moment of silence. Kero half expected Stephen to say something about Sakura's decision, but he didn't. He seemed too deep in thought even to comment on Kero's sudden- if joking- expression of trust in him. When he finally did speak, it was with a deeper, more serious tone.

"Kerberos, I… have a question I want to ask you."

Kero frowned. "When you phrase it like that, I don't know if it's something I should answer, but I'll bite. What is it?"

"Well… it is something I would like to ask, but at the same time I am unsure as to whether I truly wish to know the answer. It may be something I am better off not knowing."

"Better off not knowin'? What kinda talk is that?"

Stephen shook his head. "My apologies for confusing you. I think I will keep the question to myself for now. But should I decide in the future that I want to know, will you answer it for me?"

"That depends on what it is. Keep being all cryptic like that, and there's no way I'm gonna answer it for ya."

Kero wasn't really sure what he expected as a reply to that statement, but whatever it was, it wasn't what he got.

"Perhaps that is for the best, then. Thank you, Kerberos."


	7. Sakura and the Runaway Garden

Thank you to everyone for your patience with this story. I'm working hard and really enjoying it, so I'm going to continue to update as often as I can. I hope you continue to enjoy it. Thanks for reading!

* * *

 **7- Sakura and the Runaway Garden**

 _It's that woman again._

Sakura wasn't surprised that she was having the dream again, but rather that it had taken so long for it to resurface. The woman looked just the same as before, doubled over with her thick hair almost completely obscuring her tear-stained face. Instead of panicking this time, Sakura sat down beside the woman and reached out a hand to her. If they couldn't communicate with words, perhaps there was another way.

It took a moment, but the woman finally noticed Sakura and lifted her head. She sniffled and spoke up, asking a question in the unknown language. Sakura couldn't understand it, so instead she simply reached out and wiped the tears away from the woman's cheek. For the first time, the woman smiled at her, and Sakura was surprised by the intensity of her own reaction. The smile was soft, still sad, and might look forced were it not for the twinge of hope that had appeared in the woman's eyes. It gave Sakura that "floaty" feeling, the lightness in her chest causing her heart to flutter. Whoever this woman was, she was not only beautiful, she also held a powerful magical energy.

Sakura's hand was still on her cheek, so the woman raised her own hand to place over Sakura's. It was a small gesture, but it seemed to clear the sense of pain that clouded the woman's aura, and her smile brightened. Sakura smiled back.

"I know you can't understand me, but I'll promise anyway... I'm going to help you."

The woman asked another question, a short one this time, probably something akin to " _what_?" or " _pardon_?" given the way she said it. Sakura pulled her hand away from the woman's cheek, instead clasping both of the woman's hands in her own. She repeated her promise slowly, trying desperately to get the point across.

"I… will... help... you."

The woman's expression didn't show any sign that she understood the speech, but she squeezed Sakura's hands, seeming to understand the friendly, reassuring tone of voice. She then responded with a statement that, once again, Sakura didn't quite get. There was _one_ word she caught, however, and the implication of it startled her.

"-Sakura."

 _Huh? How does she know my-?  
_

Sakura sat up in bed with a gasp, stopping to examine her surroundings once she realized she was no longer in the dream. It had ended too abruptly; she hadn't gotten to ask the woman all the questions she'd wanted. But she had discovered something, at least.

"She… knows my name."

Sakura didn't realize she'd said it out loud until she heard shuffling around within Kero's drawer and in the pile of stuffed animals by the windowsill. Stephen poked his head out from underneath the wing of Mr. Puffin, his ears perking up.

"Who does, Sakura-sama?"

As Stephen asked that, Kero opened his drawer a crack and peeked out. "You have that dream again?" he murmured. "I was wonderin' if it was just a onetime thing."

"Yeah, it was the same one I had a month ago after I returned from Greece." Sakura nodded her head. "I don't know who she is or why she's showing up in my dreams, but she definitely needs help. And, for some reason, she's come to me specifically- or, at least, she knows who I am."

Kero crossed his arms, leaning back as he thought it over. "Your ability to see future events in your dreams is certainly special, but it's not uncommon among magicians as powerful as you are. But the ability to communicate through dreams is something much rarer. This woman must be powerful, or at least have some powerful magic to draw upon."

"I would be cautious, Sakura-sama," Stephen added. "You first had the dream after you freed the Warp Cards. This woman in your dream may somehow be related to them or to Noboru. If she knows who you are, she must want something from you."

Kero shot him a glare. "You mean, just like _you_?"

"Th-that's not-"

Sakura turned over in bed, pulling the blankets back up over her shoulders. "It's only six-thirty. I'm going back to sleep for a while." She closed her eyes, drifting off for a few moments, but then snapped alert again. "Wait a minute! It's Saturday- I have to leave early!"

Kero groaned. "Leaving early on a Saturday? You're kiddin' me. Can't the school give you kids a break every once in a while?"

"We don't have classes today," Sakura explained as she stood up and walked over to the closet, "it's a field trip. Part of this new _experiential learning_ thing they're doing. We're going to that show farm, remember?"

Kero perked up and jumped up onto the desk. "Oh! No wonder you've had this brochure sitting on your desk. _Explore the interactive exhibits and learn about the development of agriculture through the ages..._ sounds kinda boring to me."

Stephen jumped up onto the desk beside Kero, reading over his shoulder. " _Wind your way through the hedge maze in our ornamental garden with over a kilometer of twisting and turning pathways, or treat yourself to some homemade ice cream from our on-site creamery-_ "

"Ice cream?!" Kero gasped and scanned the page. "Oh man, that sounds amazing! Sakura, you've gotta take me with you! Please, oh please, can I come with you?"

Sakura had finished putting on her uniform and was busy brushing her hair. "What? No way," she replied, turning from the dresser to look back at him. "Everyone from school is going to be there, and with food involved, I know I can't count on you to stay quiet."

"Aw, c'mon, Sakura! Pleeease!" Kero flew over to the dresser as she tied her hair up, landing on her shoulder. "You don't know when another Warp Card is gonna show up. What if there's danger and you need help from Stephanos or me? We've gotta come with you-"

"You just want to pig out on ice cream!" Sakura turned to him, brushing him off her shoulder. "I'll be fine. If there's any trouble, Tomoyo and Syaoran will be there to help."

Stephen was still absorbed in reading the brochure, so he wasn't paying much attention to Kero and Sakura's argument. The two continued to bicker back and forth as Sakura gathered her things, but eventually she finished with a " _you can't come and that's final_ " before closing the door behind her. Kero dropped to the floor, his wings drooping.

"...but the ice cream…"

Stephen looked up as he heard the door close. "Wait! Did Sakura-sama leave already?"

"...she left us behind… without ice cream…"

Setting the brochure down, Stephen scrambled over to the window and pushed it open. He scurried out onto it and waited until Sakura appeared at the front gate below. As she opened it and started out onto the sidewalk, Stephen waved and called out "HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, SAKURA-SAMA!"

Sakura looked up, smiled, and waved back.

"I will!"

* * *

The bus was full of first-year students, all chatting with varying levels of excitement about the upcoming trip. Sakura was sitting toward the front next to Tomoyo, admiring the green wristband she'd been given and comparing it to the pink ones worn by Naoko and Chiharu in the seat next to her.

"It's too bad we won't be in the same group for the demonstrations," Naoko was saying, "but we should meet up during our free time this afternoon. It starts at two o'clock, once the after-lunch session ends. I say we go straight for the creamery before the line gets too long-"

"Won't everyone be doing that, though?" Rika leaned into the aisle from the seat behind them to join in the conversation. "I don't want to miss out on the hedge maze, but if we wait too long to go in, we might be stuck inside when it's time to leave."

Tomoyo giggled. "They wouldn't leave us. I'm sure they'd send someone in to escort us to the exit."

"But that would take all the fun out of it!" Naoko protested, and Tomoyo and Chiharu both laughed.

Sakura glanced out the window at the scenery that was quickly changing from urban sprawl to rural fields, and then leaned back to direct a question to the person sitting behind her.

"Syaoran-kun? What do you think we should do fi-"

She didn't even get the chance to finish the question as she realized Yamazaki already had Syaoran's full attention. He noticed Sakura's question and stopped his monologue just long enough to sit up on his knees and look over the back of the seat.

"Oh, Sakura-san! I was just telling Li-kun all about the history of hedge mazes. Would you like to hear it too?"

She _did_ , of course, but the abrupt subject change left her struggling for words. "Oh, I- uh…"

"I was just discussing their medieval origins with Li-kun, how they were built by monks who would walk the path as a form of meditation." Yamazaki pressed on, unfazed. "To keep them from getting lost while they were deep in prayer, these early mazes were simple, with a single path connecting one entrance and one exit. But soon, rich people started imitating these mazes on their own estates, and decided to make them a little more interesting. The most famous and elaborate of these early private mazes was the Labyrinth of Versailles, which was lavishly decorated with statues and fountains of-"

" _Yamazaki, please sit properly while the bus is moving._ "

The voice of a teacher interrupted their conversation, and Yamazaki sat back down with a sigh. "You're in the green group too, right, Sakura-san? We can talk later about King Louis XIV and the Labyrinth of Versailles…"

Sakura could only nod in agreement. So much for talking with Syaoran this morning.

It was the perfect weather for a field trip, the bright sunshine taking the edge off the early-Autumn chill in the air. The students disembarked the bus in front of a large, western-style farmhouse, where several employees were directing them into different groups. Sakura and Tomoyo disembarked first, followed by Chiharu and Naoko, and then by Yamazaki and Syaoran, with Syaoran still enraptured by Yamazaki's every word. Sakura was hanging back, trying to catch what was being said, but she was interrupted by a voice from beside her.

"Alright, don't bunch up. Follow the path around the side of the house and gather under the flag that matches your wristband."

Sakura spun around. "Oh _no_ ," she began, her curious expression turning sour. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Before he could answer, Tomoyo smiled and waved. "Good morning, Touya-san, Yukito-san!"

Yukito leaned in next to Touya, offering a friendly wave in reply. "Good morning, everyone!"

"We're working the school and family tours here this weekend," Touya added, finally getting in a response to Sakura's question. "We have more school groups coming later in the day, so hurry it up."

"I thought you guys were working at a hotel this weekend," Sakura protested, stepping off the path to get out of the way of her classmates. "What are you doing here?"

"There were some vacancies in the temp agency, so we had to shuffle around assignments," Yukito explained. "Touya and I volunteered to come out here, since it looked like fun-"

"Kinomoto, Daidouji, is there a problem here?"

It was Noboru-sensei's voice. Both Sakura and Tomoyo jumped and turned around. "No sir!" Tomoyo responded. "Just speaking to some friends of ours-"

"I know you're excited, but this is not a trip for socializing. Go catch up with your group."

"Yes, sir!"

The two girls ran off down the path, and Noboru looked over Touya and Yukito. "I hope-" he began with a pointed glare, "-that you men weren't harassing my students."

Yukito's face turned pale as he realized just what Noboru was accusing them of. "What? No, of course not-"

"That's my sister," Touya interrupted, pointing in the direction that Sakura had gone. "I'm Kinomoto Touya. It's a pleasure to meet you... Noboru, I'm assuming."

"Ah, I see. You're the brother." Noboru's eyes lit up in recognition. "Now that I think about it, I do see the resemblance. She takes a little more after your mother, I think."

Touya bristled. "How do you know what my mother looked like?"

"What? No, no, I don't. It was merely an assumption based on your father's appearance. I've met him many times during his excavations in the Peloponnese. He's a good man, surprisingly."

"What do you mean, _surprisingly_?"

Noboru laughed. "That's not for you to worry about. Kinomoto is a good man. I expect you follow his example."

"Wh-" Touya gasped and leaned forward. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"If you'll excuse me, I have students to attend to. It was good meeting you, Kinomoto Touya." Noboru turned away with a wave. "And good seeing you too, Yue."

By the time Touya and Yukito realized what he'd said, he was already down the path following the groups of students. Touya started after him but Yukito reached out and grabbed his arm.

"That teacher… for some reason, he makes the other me angry. It feels like he's filled with rage. It's all I can do not to transform and chase after him right now."

Touya was silent and stared at Yukito in surprise. "Your other self, huh? That's Yue- the name the teacher called you by. He really must be the reincarnation of that Warp Neon guy that Sakura was telling us about."

"You think?"

"You're the one who would know."

Yukito retracted his hand with a sigh. "I wish I could say for sure. All the other m- er, _Yue_ \- can tell is that he's not someone to be trusted. Now that Sakura has refused to work with him, there's no telling what he'll do."

There was a moment of silence as Touya considered the statement. Eventually, he nodded and turned back to the farmhouse.

"Then we'd better keep an eye out for Sakura's sake. Come on."

* * *

The green group gathered near the greenhouses for their morning session. By the time Sakura caught up, Yamazaki was still lecturing Syaoran about the Labyrinth of Versailles.

"-and the water for the thirty-nine fountains was pumped from the Seine using massive water wheels that were over ten meters in diameter-"

"Oh, I think I missed something," Sakura broke in. "What was that about fountains?"

Syaoran and Yamazaki turned around to face her. "Where were you?" Syaoran asked. "They're about to get started with the presentation."

"Oh, uh, we were talking to my brother," Sakura replied. "He and Yukito-san are working here today."

Syaoran groaned. "Geez, they just can't keep out of our business, can they?"

"It's a little frustrating, but I don't think they mean any harm…" Sakura glanced over at Noboru, who was busy talking to some of the education staff. "Noboru-sensei came and interrupted us, though."

"He _did?_ "

"Well, when we left, he said something to them about _harassing_ students," Tomoyo pointed out, "as if he thought they were hitting on us. If that's the case, he definitely didn't recognize them and was just keeping us safe."

"It's true. College students shouldn't be flirting with high schoolers." Syaoran sighed, allowing himself to look away from Noboru again. "He really does act like a model teacher."

"- _added in 1677 for Louis XIV's young son as an educational tool_ -" Yamazaki was still going, seemingly oblivious to his lack of an audience. Before Sakura and Syaoran could catch up with what he was saying, Noboru called the group to follow after him for the session. Sakura, Tomoyo, and Syaoran followed after the group of students, leaving Yamazaki behind, still talking.

"Hello, everyone!" A cheery voice chimed in, breaking through the group's commotion. The students turned to look at the woman who'd addressed them, a tall, sturdily built woman in one of the guide uniforms who was waving a little green tour flag. "Green group, if you could follow me, I'll take you over to our first stop this morning. I'm one of the botanists here here, and-"

She continued to introduce herself as Sakura and the others shuffled along after her and followed her into one of the large greenhouses. The air was warm inside, and Sakura removed her blazer, tying it around her waist as she listened to the introduction.

"-that it's become a buzzword in the media lately. But does anyone know what _genetic modification_ actually means?"

Yamazaki raised his hand, waving it back and forth to vie for the guide's attention. It wasn't necessary, considering he was the only one eager to answer, but his eagerness made the guide smile.

"Yes, young man there?"

"Genetic modification is the introduction of beneficial genes into crops or livestock to increase yield or decrease susceptibility to disease."

"Very good!" The guide clapped her hands together. "That's the form of genetic modification we commonly see today. But it's just one kind of modification. In reality, humans have been genetically modifying crops since the invention of agriculture over twelve-thousand years ago. They did this through what's known as _selective breeding_ , which means they chose to sow only the seeds of the plants that produced the largest and most delicious yields. Over generations, this significantly altered these plants from their natural state into the forms that we know today."

She continued over to a table along the path, picking up a group of laminated photographs and passing them out to students. The kids clamored around, reaching out to take a picture and then stepping back to examine it. Sakura pushed forward to get one, and when she did, she stepped back to where Tomoyo and Syaoran were waiting patiently. They moved to her side and looked over her shoulder.

"It's a cherry," Tomoyo observed. "How fitting!"

"But have we changed cherries all that much?" Syaoran asked, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized the image. "I mean, people still eat wild cherries, even if they're kinda sour..."

" _Everyone!_ " The guide waved the little flag to catch the students' attention. "These pictures I've just handed out show some of the common fruits and vegetables we eat every day _before_ human intervention. Your job is to figure out what modern fruit or vegetable is descended from yours. Some are easier than others- work in groups and see if you can get it."

The commotion started up again in full force as the students were now given permission to talk amongst themselves. Amid the fervor, Sakura raised her hand and held up her picture. "Um," she began, making sure the guide was paying attention, "this is a cherry, right?"

"Hmm, it looks like a cherry, doesn't it?" the guide responded with a smile. "It's in the same genus as the cherry, but through artificial selection, we've made it much bigger and sweeter. They're so closely related, you could almost think of it as the cherry's big brother."

Before Sakura could realize what she was saying, she blurted out " _peach!_ " at the top of her lungs. The rest of the group turned and stared at her, and she felt her face turn red as she worked out the logic behind her sudden conclusion. "Ah, n-no, I mean-"

"Yes, exactly! Good job!" The guide, unfazed, reached out and took the picture from Sakura so that she could hold it up. "Everyone look over here for a moment. As you can see, this small fruit that looks like a cherry is actually the predecessor of our modern-day peaches. It was cultivated in the fertile Yangtze River Valley in China, and by the time it was brought to Japan during the Jōmon period, it already resembled the peaches we see today."

There was another commotion as the students expressed their excitement and disbelief, but they quickly went back to their own pictures, making observations and debating with their neighbors. Sakura turned back to Tomoyo and Syaoran with a defeated sigh.

"I can't believe I just said that out loud… how embarrassing."

"You got the right answer, though," Tomoyo offered. "I didn't know that cherries and peaches were so closely related, though. Their flowers are so similar, I should've guessed... you should tell your brother. I bet he'd get a kick out of it!"

"No way am I telling Onii-chan about this! I'm embarrassed enough as it is!"

" _Everyone,_ come take a look at this one now. This little berry-like fruit has been cultivated to make our modern-day eggplants..."

The session continued as the guide expounded upon ancient methods of artificial selection, the use of pea plants in the early study of genetics, and the development of more modern genetic engineering practices. Sakura had never really been interested in plants or agriculture, but the unfamiliarity of the subject and the enthusiasm of the guide held her interest. There were so many different ways of changing and altering plants and so many ethical dilemmas that she'd never even considered finding in the realm of agriculture. The session was supposed to last an hour and a half, but it didn't feel like long at all before the lecture was over and the guide led them back to the greenhouse door where they'd first entered.

"We have a few extra minutes before our break, so I can answer any questions you might have about the presentation."

Several hands shot up, and Noboru looked over the group. "One at a time, please. We'll start with… Kanda?"

"Yes, um, I had a question about the gene-editing technology. If they can edit plant genes, can they edit human genes too?"

"Ah, well…" The guide seemed to freeze up momentarily. "...yes, there are ways of doing that, but the major ethical issues involved make it difficult to-"

"Follow-up question," the girl beside him added, her hand shooting up as she spoke, "are the corporations currently placing patents on genetically modified crops setting a dangerous precedent for a dystopian future where human beings will be required to pay royalties to companies for their own existence or face imprisonment for breaching international patent laws-?"

"Kanda, Hayashi, _please_." Noboru interrupted, speaking their names in a stern warning. "Questions about plants only."

"S-sorry," the two answered, and Kanda spoke up again. "So, uh, would it be possible to genetically engineer a venus flytrap to eat meat instead of insects?"

Hayashi nodded and jumped in with "And if so, would there be a danger of said venus flytrap developing a taste preference for humanflesh and-?"

" _Excuse me_."

Before she could finish her question, another farm employee entered through the greenhouse door and addressed the guide. The guide nodded at her coworker and waved at the group. "I apologize, but we need to speak privately for a moment. Perhaps you can discuss your own ideas about these, um, _interesting_ questions."

As the employees stepped away, Kanda and Hayashi approached Sakura's group with eager expressions. "Yamazaki-kun, what do you know about venus flytraps?" Kanda asked, slapping a hand on his shoulder. "You've always got some nuggets of wisdom to share."

"I sure do!" Yamazaki exclaimed. "Did you know that venus flytraps are native to only a small area on the southeast coast of North America? It's a place called the Green Swamp that's famous for its beautiful native orchids. But to see them in bloom, you have to survive the carnivorous plants, giant alligators, venom-spitting spiders, and frequent forest fires…"

Sakura inched away from the group. It wasn't that she was uninterested in hearing about the danger-infested home of the venus flytrap, but she had noticed Noboru-sensei listening in on the employees' conversation, and she wondered just what was going on. "Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo spoke up, following her. "What's going on?"

"I wonder what the guide is talking about. She seems worried, and it looks like sensei is interested too. But everyone's being so loud, I can't make out what they're saying."

"Are you sure something's wrong? It might just be something about the other groups, and Noboru-sensei is interested because he's a teacher."

"Yeah, but…" Sakura began and stopped herself. "...well…"

"Do you sense something strange?" Tomoyo lowered her voice. "A Warp Card?"

"Maybe," Sakura whispered back. "I can't tell, though. All I know is that there's something-"

"STUDENTS!"

The loud yell from behind them caused both Sakura and Tomoyo to jump. They swiveled around on their heels and looked back at Noboru with obedient smiles. "Y-yes sir?" the responded in time with the others.

"Our session time has ended, so we're going to take a ten minute break. You can use this time to visit the restroom, eat a snack, talk to your friends, and the like. Just don't stray too far from the main area. We're meeting back outside the greenhouse exactly ten minutes from now."

" _Yes sir!_ "

Sakura let out a sigh as she followed the group out the door. "Geez, that scared me."

"Me too," Tomoyo replied. "But at least it seems like nothing's wrong."

"Yeah, but-" Sakura began, but stopped as she caught the tail end of a sentence from the guide as they passed by.

" _-shouldn't be a concern if you've roped off the area. I still have two more groups to get through._ "

" _But the whole thing seems to be growing at an exponential rate. We can't seem to contain it, and if it reaches any of the buildings-"_

" _That's impossible. Even kudzu doesn't grow that fast."_

" _I know that perfectly well! But I can't explain why-"_

"Kinomoto!" It was Noboru's voice, and Sakura flinched. She realized that she was the only student left in the greenhouse, and that _definitely_ looked suspicious. If there was something going on- and it sounded like there was- Noboru now knew that she was aware of it.

"S-sorry, sir! I was just heading out!" She waved as she passed him, and he nodded in response.

"Don't get separated from the group, Kinomoto. It could be dangerous."

 _Dangerous_. He spoke that last word almost like a promise, the vague hint of a smile on his lips as he said it. With that, there was no doubt remaining that something strange was going on.

She just had to find out what it was.

* * *

It didn't take long.

Once Sakura made it outside the greenhouse, she hurried over to the picnic area where her friends were gathered. Syaoran had finally managed to pull himself away from Yamazaki's lecture on venus flytraps and other carnivorous plants, and joined Tomoyo at one of the tables.

"Finally got tired of the lecture, huh?" she was asking with a friendly grin. Syaoran blushed and looked away.

"It was interesting at first, but he lost me when he said that there were _toilet plants_ that lure tree shrews to sit on them so that they can eat their…. well…"

Tomoyo began to laugh, and Syaoran's blush intensified.

"Hey! Don't laugh at me! I told you I didn't believe it, didn't I-?"

"Um, you guys?"

At the sound of Sakura's voice, they both looked up. "Oh, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo gasped. "Did you find out anything?"

"Well, I couldn't get any details from their conversation before sensei chased me out, but… there's definitely something strange going on here."

"A Warp Card?" Syaoran asked.

"Could be. I do sense something similar, but it's pretty faint. Maybe if we find Onii-chan and Yukito-san, they can tell us more."

"I think I saw them head into the gift shop after we found our group," Tomoyo said, turning and pointing toward the main building. "Let's go see."

No sooner did the three of them start off in the direction of the main building than Touya and Yukito emerged with boxes in their arms. Sakura waved, and they stopped to look in her direction.

"Sakura, what are you doing? Stay with your group-" Touya's scolding didn't get very far before Sakura interrupted.

"We know, we know! Can you just tell us what's going on? Something strange is up, and we need to know what it is!"

Touya and Yukito paused, glancing at one another.

"Well, we're taking some equipment out to the garden area. Apparently they're having some trouble cutting back the hedges."

"Cutting them back…?" Syaoran asked.

"I saw them earlier," Touya answered with a nod. "It was crazy- they were perfectly manicured this morning, and now it looks like a scene from some kind of post-apocalyptic movie."

"...Sakura-chan," Yukito began again, his voice uncharacteristically serious, "the other me is wondering if… if you think this is-"

"Yeah, I'm sure it must be."

"Th-then we-!" Yukito started looking back and forth frantically, waving his box as though he were searching for someone to hand it off to. Sakura grabbed the box, not taking it from him but just trying to hold him still.

"Don't jeopardize your jobs for us. We can handle this. I'll call Kero-chan and Stephen, and they'll help us capture the card."

"But…" Touya began, but Yukito nudged him and shook his head.

"Let's get these over to the garden area right now. We can stay over there and keep an eye on things for Sakura-chan's sake, alright?"

"...fine…"

Sakura smiled as she watched them go, but Syaoran nudged her and pointed to his watch.

"We've got five minutes left. If you're going to call Kerberos and Stephen, you'll need to do it fast."

" _Ah!_ R-right!" Sakura pulled her phone out of her pocket, fumbling with it to get a decent grip. "Oh, but I really shouldn't be using this here. Should we…?"

Tomoyo caught on and nodded, grabbing Sakura's hand. "Come on. This way."

The three took shelter around the back of the main building, along the back wall next to the fence around the generator. Syaoran covered his ears, speaking over to Tomoyo slowly enough that she could read his lips if necessary.

"It's too loud here! We'll never be able to understand each other-"

"And no one will hear us," Tomoyo responded with a thumbs-up. Syaoran sighed, but he didn't argue as he saw Sakura press a finger to her lips.

"Shh! It's ringing. ...hey, Kero-chan, can you- NO, this is NOT about the ice cream! I SAID _NO_. Just- NO. Please go get Stephen. I need your- I NEED YOUR HELP. IT'S A WA- YES, A WARP CARD. NO, I DON'T KNOW WHICH IT IS. THAT'S WHY I NEE- _THAT. IS. WHY. I. NEED. STEPHEN._ THANK know what? While you're gone, I'm gonna get away from this generator."

Sakura moved along the side of the building away from the fence, stopping by the corner so that she still couldn't be seen from the other side. She waited impatiently for the sound of Stephen's voice on the other end of the phone, nervously tugging at the sleeves of her blazer that was still tied around her waist. Finally, she heard his and Kero's voices approaching the phone, and Stephen's voice came through on the other end.

"Sakura-sama? Are you there? Your picture isn't on the phone-"

"This is just a voice call. I'm not sending vid- ah, forget that! We don't have time! There's a Warp Card here and it's causing all the hedges to overgrow, and I need to know what it is and where I can find it to capture it!"

"Wha-? S-slow down for a second, Sakura-sama! I can't-"

"Didn't you hear her? She doesn't have time to slow down!" Kero scolded. "A Warp Card that makes plants grow. What is it and where is it hiding?"

"Th-that… well…" Stephen's voice cracked as he spoke. "...I mean, it's possible it's The Parasite, but I don't know why it would cause uncontrolled growth like that… and The Labyrinth creates its own maze rather than taking over another… The Vegetation was created to either kill plants or cause destructive overgrowth, so it's most likely Vegetation-"

Syaoran pulled on Sakura's free hand. "They're calling us," he whispered, and she nodded.

"Stephen, quick, one last question! Where will I find Vegetation's true form?"

"You should find it in the middle of the densest growth. But be careful! It can 'see' through any plant it controls, no matter how far away, so it could easily attack you when you're-"

"Got it! Thanks, bye!"

She pressed the END CALL button and shoved the phone into her pocket, turning on her heels and rushing back to the other side of the building. Tomoyo and Syaoran met her halfway, pointing back toward the picnic area.

"They're calling us," Tomoyo said. "What do we do? If there's a card causing trouble, we can't just ignore it, but…"

"I'll handle this," Sakura replied, digging into her other pocket and pulling out one of the Sakura Cards. She grasped her key with her free hand and uttered a rushed version of the incantation. Within a single second, she'd taken the staff and activated the card. " _Reflect my image to create another me! MIRROR!_ "

Mirror's physical form materialized and emerged as Sakura, complete with the bright-green wristband and the wrinkled blazer tied around her waist. She looked to Sakura for instructions, but Sakura took her hand and placed it in Tomoyo's.

"You two go back to the group. Tell them that Syaoran-kun got sick and you accompanied him to the infirmary. We'll head to the garden and see if we can get into the maze without being seen. Alright?"

Tomoyo and Mirror both nodded. " _Alright_!"

* * *

"Kinomoto! Daidouji! There you are!" Yamazaki and Kanda ran to greet them. "Where's Li-kun?"

"H-he was feeling sick, so we went with him to the infirmary," Tomoyo replied, a little out of breath. "They said we should come back and join the group for now, and we can check on him at lunch."

"Aw, geez, I hope he's okay," Yamazaki sighed, scratching the back of his head. "He seemed fine just a few minutes ago when I was talking. Was it, like, stomach problems? Something he ate-?"

"We should go tell Noboru-sensei," Kanda interrupted, grabbing Yamazaki's arm and pulling him back toward the rest of the group. Tomoyo and Mirror glanced at one another and then followed after the boys until they caught up and fell into step with the others. Noboru caught sight of them and pushed his way through the group.

"There you are! Where have you been? I said ten minutes- we're late for the dairy demonstration. Where is Li-?"

"Li-kun is in the infirmary," Kanda spoke up, gesturing toward Tomoyo and Mirror. "Kinomoto knows more."

Mirror stiffened as Noboru's gaze settled on her. There was a pause as the group quieted down, all waiting to hear what she had to say. Tomoyo saw that she was frozen in place, however, and stepped in.

"His stomach was hurting, so Sakura-chan's brother showed us where the infirmary was. The nurse there said that he could stay while the rest of the group continued with the demonstrations, and we could check back at lunchtime."

Noboru frowned. "I see. I'll let your homeroom teacher know. First, let's get over to the dairy barn for the next demonstration. And Kinomoto-"

Mirror flinched as he spoke Sakura's name.

"-I didn't say anything because it was hot in the greenhouse, but now that we're outside, please wear your uniform properly."

She was still frozen in place when he finished the sentence, and stayed that way as he stared as though waiting for her to follow his instructions. A low murmur passed through the group, and Kanda reached out to her with a concerned " _Kinomoto, you okay?_ " Tomoyo was quick to jump in, pulling Mirror close and pulling the blazer from around her waist.

"She's just worried about Li-kun. Let's head over to the dairy barn; I'm sure the demonstration will take her mind off of it."

Noboru sighed and moved back to the head of the group. "Fair enough. Come on, then. Let's go."

Tomoyo helped a still-silent Mirror put on her blazer and held her hand as they followed along with the group. "Are you alright? He seems scary, but he won't hurt you-"

"That man… I know him from somewhere. His features are unfamiliar, but his aura… his soul… I know it from long ago, and it's…"

"Sakura-san? You feeling bad too?" Yamazaki hung back a little, leaning over so that they could talk without Noboru hearing. "If you need to sit down, I bet there'll be a place when we get to the barn-"

"Oh, no, no!" Mirror was quick to respond, putting on one of Sakura's usual perky smiles. "I was just worrying about Syaoran. It's alright."

"He'll be fine. You should take notes for him so that he doesn't miss out. You know, many cultures around the world have worshiped cows, including the ancient Egyptians. In fact, there was an Egyptian religious text known as the Book of the Heavenly Cow, which was found in the tombs of several famous pharaohs including Ramses the Great and King Tut…"

Mirror leaned over and whispered to Tomoyo, " _is all of this true?_ "

Tomoyo just smiled. " _Sure it is. Sakura-chan's classmates wouldn't lie to her, would they?_ "

" _No, I suppose not…_ "

* * *

Sakura and Syaoran surveyed the garden area from afar, examining the configuration of barriers and workers lined up around it. The hedges were just as Touya had described them, overgrown with weeds and vines to the point that it was almost impossible to see what shape the hedge had originally been trimmed to. Sakura had to cover her mouth to prevent letting out a yelp of surprise when she first saw it, but Syaoran was silent, his analytical mind already working to find the best way to get in without arousing suspicion.

"If you use The Silent, we can probably climb around the barriers without drawing attention to ourselves," he spoke up, pointing to an area around the backside of the gardens where there weren't any people. "Then you could get us into the maze itself using The Through, and no one would be able to see us from the outside."

"If the hedges are too thick, Through might take too much magic, since I'm already supporting Mirror-" Sakura protested, but Syaoran shook his head.

"The magic required for Through does depend on the thickness of the wall, but it also depends on the material. Something with many gaps like a hedge is far easier for Through to handle than something solid."

"I see…" Sakura dug into her pocket and pulled out three cards. "Silent and Through will help us get in, and once we're in the maze, I can use Sword to protect us from the vines."

Syaoran nodded. "Once we're inside the maze, I can summon my magical sword as well."

"Oh, that's right! I forgot you can do that- good thinking."

Sakura glanced around the side of the building, confirming that the workers were preoccupied enough with their own jobs that they weren't looking in this direction. She used her staff to activate Silent and led the way as quickly as possible around the back side of the garden, clambering over the large plastic barriers that had been set up. She almost activated Jump out of habit, but then remembered that the extra magic would probably draw too much power away from either Silent or Mirror- both of which could blow their cover. So she continued across until she made it to the other side and could stop to catch her breath. Syaoran was already there once she arrived, and while she opened her mouth to ask him how he'd managed it, Silent swallowed up her words as she spoke them. The question was unnecessary, however, as she noticed the dirt and grass stains on the back of his blazer. _Ah,_ he'd gone _under_ the barriers instead of trying to climb them. Probably the best approach now that she thought about it. She'd have to do his laundry later to thank him.

Deactivating Silent with a second tap of the card, she quietly called upon The Through, aiming her staff at the writhing mass of leaves and vines that made up the side of the hedge. The branches were already reaching out for them, but Through opened up a hole in the side of the mass of plants and the two hurried through before the branches could fill it in again. There was barely any space along what had been the maze path, but there was at least a clear line along the ground that indicated where to go, and that was all they needed.

Once in the maze, the branches and vines along the walls immediately began to close in, reaching out to restrain them. Sakura activated The Sword, and Syaoran drew his magical power forth to summon his own magical blade.

" _Allow me to cut my way through the maze of vines! SWORD!_ "

With their swords in hand, the two began to cut their way slowly along the maze path, Sakura leading the way and Syaoran making sure that the branches didn't attack them from the rear. As they made their way deeper into the hedges, they could see the walls around them becoming thicker and taller. However, the path looped around and sent them back toward the outside of the maze at times, and twice they found themselves at a dead end and had to retrace their steps.

"This is starting to feel pointless. I don't think there's much point in following the maze path if it's just going to get us lost. We need to orient ourselves toward the center and use Through to approach in a straight line."

Sakura frowned. "But that would require me to get rid of the Sword. Wouldn't that make us more vulnerable?" As they were speaking they were swinging their swords to keep the branches and vines at bay, and it made things all the more difficult. "If we could use our swords to cut through the hedges, then-"

"Maybe the Sword card could do it, but mine isn't able to cut through the sturdy branches and trunks of the hedges. It would take too much time and effort, and we'd be swallowed up. These little vines and offshoots, I can cut through easily. You just worry about making a path, and I'll keep us safe."

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You have to focus on finding and purifying the card."

"R-right! I guess I'll try it…"

"Okay! Kneel down; I'll cover for you!"

Sakura got close to the ground so that the plants couldn't get to her, deactivating Sword and swapping it out for Through. " _Make us a path through the hedges into the center of the maze! THROUGH!_ "

Syaoran had underestimated the ferocity of the branches and vines, and was having trouble keeping up as he swung violently in all directions. By the time that Through had cut through the hedges in front of them, there were already vines tied around Syaoran's legs and arms. Sakura started to run through, but she stopped and looked back when she realized he wasn't following her.

"Syaoran-kun-"

"Don't worry about me! If you wait too long, Through's paths will get filled back in! Just go!"

The vines were now doubling up their grip on him, and it was getting more and more difficult for him to struggle against them. Sakura hesitated further, reaching for The Sword again, but Syaoran noticed and yelled.

"JUST GO!"

Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, Sakura turned on her heels and dashed through the openings in the hedges, having to duck and push her way through the new growth that was filling in the gaps that Through had created. She finally staggered into the circle of hedges in the center, but when she turned around to call back to Syaoran, the pathway had completely filled in and she wasn't able to see him anymore. " _SYAORAN!_ " she screamed, already feeling vines reaching for her legs and looping themselves around her ankles.

" _SAKURA! FOCUS ON SEALING THE CARD! ITS PHYSICAL FORM MUST BE IN THE CENTER OF TH-_ "

His voice cut off abruptly, a few vaguely muffled noises making their way through the area before it went completely silent. Sakura gritted her teeth and tried to shake the vines from around her ankles, but they were so strong, she had to call on The Sword again.

" _H-help me cut through to reveal the card's true form! SWORD_!"

If she wanted to get into the center of the greenery, she'd have to cut through on her own. It was a mass of branches and vines, growing up into the sky as far as she could see. The Vegetation had to be hiding at the center of it, but the more she sliced into it with Sword, the more the branches and vines grew to fill it in. She had to stop every so often to slice through vines that were holding onto her legs and arms, and that only allowed the center hedge to grow and further heal from the few swings she'd made into it.

 _There's gotta be another way… Sword isn't strong enough, and Through won't help me if I want to get inside of it… what other card can I use? I can only use one at a time, since Mirror is covering for me, but the time required to switch out might_ -

Her train of thought was cut off as one of the vines jerked at her ankle, sending her toppling over. She dropped her staff and it fell to the ground alongside her, quickly getting covered over by branches. " _NO_!" she gasped, plunging her hands in after it. This only got her more stuck, as the branches sent out shoots that snaked up her arms and around her torso. The plants lifted her up off the ground and began snaking around her body, and the more she struggled, the tighter they squeezed.

 _If I don't get out of here soon, I'm gonna suffocate! But without my staff, what can I do-?_

Her breath caught in her throat as a vine wrapped itself around her chest and pulled tightly against her lungs.

 _No… it can't… do this… I have to… have to…_

For a brief moment, everything turned black around her.

* * *

The presentation at the dairy barn held the students' interest even moreso than the greenhouse presentation had, and they lined up around the edge of the fence, all clamoring for a chance to try their hand at milking the cow. Tomoyo and Mirror hung back toward the back of the group, watching everyone else. Tomoyo looked over to ask if Mirror wanted to give it a try, but she found her glancing around with a nervous expression.

"Something wrong, Sakura-chan?"

Mirror jumped and turned back to Tomoyo. "N-no, that's not… er, I was just wondering where the teacher went. He isn't here."

"Huh?" Tomoyo looked back toward the back of the group where Noboru had been standing. "You're right. He said something about letting Shimazaki-sensei know about Syaoran-kun, so maybe he went to find her group instead."

"But if she goes to the infirmary and doesn't find him, will Sakura get in trouble?"

Tomoyo glanced around and pressed a finger to her lips. "You're Sakura, remember?" she whispered.

"But-"

" _Is there anyone who wants to try and hasn't gotten a chance?_ "

The voice from their guide sent another clamor of noise through the group from a few students who were still trying to get to the front of the line. Yamazaki looked back to Tomoyo.

"Are you sure you and Sakura-chan don't want to try?"

"We're fine," Tomoyo answered, waving one hand dismissively. "It's better to let the ones who are excited about it have a turn, right, Sakura-chan?"

There was no answer, and before Tomoyo could turn to look, Yamazaki broke in with a question of his own.

"Where'd Sakura-san go, exactly?"

"Huh?" Tomoyo twirled around in surprise to find that Mirror had disappeared- or, rather, that there was nothing left where she had been standing. Her eyes shot to the ground to see the figure of a Sakura Card lying on the dirt floor, and she quickly picked it up and shoved it behind her back. "Oh, um, she started feeling sick too, so she went back over to the infirmary to speak with the nurse."

"Huh? Sakura-san too? How strange…" Yamazaki frowned. "I wonder if it's something contagious. Shouldn't we tell Noboru-sensei? Where is he-?"

"He went with her!" Tomoyo lied. "She'll be alright, don't worry."

"I'm not worried. It's just, now that Sakura-san and Li-kun aren't around, I…" He glanced over at the other students and perked up. "Oh! Kanda-kun! Hayashi-san! Did you know about the ancient Egyptian Book of the Heavenly Cow that was written on the tombs of the pharaohs-"

Tomoyo sighed in relief as Yamazaki's attention turned elsewhere, but she pulled the Mirror card from behind her back and examined it in concern.

"Sakura-chan…? What happened?"

* * *

The world seemed to spin, and when Sakura opened her eyes again, she was on the ground, lying on her side. A voice had yelled from beside her, with a stern warning for the plants to _"STOP!,_ " and Sakura heard the voice continue in an eerie incantation.

" _Creatures of chaos, disruptors of peace, the son of Poseidon commands thee to cease; let the winds of your destruction be still: surrender thyself unto thy master's will. WARP CARD._ "

Sakura could breathe again, and so she was slowly regaining her ability to understand what was happening around her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as she took in the scene- all the plants were retreating, returning to the state they'd been in before the card took over. Standing in front of Sakura was a man, and when he kneeled down to check on her, his identity became clear.

"S-Sensei…" she gasped.

"I'm so sorry, Kinomoto-san. Are you alright?" Noboru reached out and tilted her head upwards to examine her neck for any sign of bruises the card might have left behind. "This card was just too much for you to handle on your own."

"H… how did you…?" Sakura began, still not completely sure what was going on.

"I realized that girl with Daidouji-san was not you when I spoke with her. What is she, Clow Card disguised as a human?"

"That's-"

"Sorry, that's not my main concern. I came here under the pretense of visiting Li-san in the infirmary. Where is he? Still trapped in the maze somewhere?"

"...yes."

"Let's find him, then, and take both of you to the infirmary to rest. You've done enough work for one day, I think."

Noboru took Sakura's hand, his grip gentle. He didn't pull, merely leading her in the direction and waiting for her to follow along. It was strange, there didn't seem to be anything but concern in his voice, and his eyes had seemed to hold genuine worry for her wellbeing. But the card in his hand…

He noticed her looking at The Vegetation and slipped it into his pocket before she could get a good view. "Now, now, none of that. You shouldn't be so curious about a card that nearly killed you. Be a little more conscious of your own safety, alright?"

Sakura said nothing, focusing on the dirt beneath her feet while they walked. This was humiliating, having to be rescued by someone she considered her enemy. While she'd considered this potential outcome, she'd expected him to gloat over his victory and deride her for her weakness. But this was so much worse. He was feeling _sorry_ for her, helping her and pitying her while he did so. It stung.

And, worst of all, the card wasn't purified. It was still evil, and back in the possession of someone who would misuse its power.

She'd failed the card.

* * *

"Sakura?"

There was a knock on her bedroom door, and she looked up from the pillow to see her father peeking in, a tray of food in his hands. She sat up to greet him, adjusting the pillows behind her. "D-Dad, you're home already! How long was I asleep…?"

"Touya called me, so I came home a little early. Here- would you like some rice soup?"

Fujitaka sat on the side of the bed, offering the tray to Sakura. She nodded and helped him position the tray so that it was stable on her lap. It smelled good, reminding her of her skipped lunch, and she dug in without even testing the temperature. The hot broth scalded her mouth, and she washed it down with a few gulps of water. Fujitaka chuckled as he watched.

"I'm glad to see you have an appetite, but don't burn yourself."

"A little late for that warning," Sakura mumbled, placing the cup back down on the tray. She noticed that the bowl and cup were all her father had brought, and looked up at him again. "Did you bring any medicine with you?"

Fujitaka frowned. "Are you feeling sick? Touya said that he thought you were just a little overwhelmed with everything that's going on."

"Oh… yeah, that's right." Sakura blushed and looked down at the soup again, following the grains of rice as they swirled around her spoon. "I'm sorry. It's kind of embarrassing, so I just told everyone that I was sick…"

"Sakura," Fujitaka began, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "you don't have to be sick to need some rest. You've been doing so well in school lately, even your math grades have improved. Your cheerleading club won silver in that last meet, you do half the cooking and the chores around the house, you always make time to help and hang out with your friends- you _need_ a break every now and again, or you're going to burn yourself out. Don't feel guilty about getting the rest you need."

Sakura bit her lip. It made her happy to hear his reassurances, but she couldn't shake the guilt she was feeling over the card. It was hard to pin down and even harder to express.

"I know I shouldn't, but… well, we were assigned partners from another class to do a write-up on our field trip, and I can't help but feel like I let my partner down. I left a burden on their shoulders and I don't know if I'll even see them again to apologize, much less make it up to them-"

"Your partner will understand," Fujitaka broke in, pulling his hand back. "The teachers can't expect too much from someone whose partner fell ill. Maybe they'll put Li-kun's partner with yours, that way they won't be alone. And if it's someone in the class next door, you can always go over during a break and apologize."

Sakura nodded mutely, returning to the soup and focusing on eating it carefully this time. It hadn't been the best representation of the Warp Card's situation, she knew that, but it was all she could come up with, and didn't have the energy to argue with him. Fujitaka was quiet for a while, watching her as she ate with a fond, yet melancholy smile. After a few minutes had passed, he let out a sigh and turned to look out the window.

"You know," he began, almost absentmindedly, "when your mother was your age, she was the same way. She wanted to do everything and help everyone, no matter the toll it took on her. She was a good student, she was part of three different clubs, she had her modeling work, she did her share of the household chores… and she said she didn't want to give anything up because she loved it all. It was true, and that made it so much worse to see her struggle. So I started making her take days off. Just once in a while, a day where she didn't have to worry about school or work or chores or anything else. When you push yourself as hard as she did- as you're doing- you can't keep it up if you don't rest properly. Eventually you'll overwork yourself to the point where you collapse. So don't feel guilty about needing that break." He turned back, placing his hand over one of hers that was resting on the edge of the tray. "Alright?"

Sakura forced a smile. "Y-yeah. Alright."

They went silent again as she finished up the soup and the water, and Fujitaka took the tray from her so that she could lie down again. "Tomorrow's Sunday," he spoke up again, "so I have the day off too. Why don't we both take a day to rest, maybe go out and see a movie or go to the arcade? It's been a while since I played some of those old games- I can show you all the tricks, if you want."

"Thanks, Dad. That sounds like fun."

The expression on his face as he considered her answer seemed to indicate that he knew it wasn't entirely genuine. " _Or_ , if you'd rather stay here and rest, that's perfectly alright too. You don't have to decide now. Just see how you're feeling tomorrow morning, okay?"

His smile was so loving and genuine, Sakura couldn't help giving a real smile in return.

"Okay. Thank you so much, Dad."

"You're welcome, Sakura."

* * *

Fujitaka closed the door behind him and started down the steps to the kitchen so that he could wash the dishes. As he made it to the base of the stairs, he noticed a familiar, electronic buzz coming from the kitchen table and rushed over to find that an unfamiliar number was calling his cell phone. He quickly set the tray aside and answered it with a cautious "hello?" as he waited to see who was on the other end of the line.

" _Hello, is this Kinomoto Fujitaka?_ "

"Yes, that's correct. May I ask who's calling?"

" _Of course! My apologies for the intrusion, Kinomoto-san. This is Noboru Jirou-sensei, from Seijyo High School. I was calling to check on Kinomoto Sakura. I understand that this is really more the responsibility of her homeroom teacher, but she was in my group during our experiential learning trip today, and I couldn't help worrying. Is she doing alright?_ "

"Oh, yes, she's fine." Fujitaka answered, his voice brighter now that he knew the subject of the call. "I actually just brought her some rice soup, and she seems to have a decent appetite. I think she's just been overexerting herself lately with academics and clubs, so she needed some rest."

" _I wouldn't be surprised. Kinomoto-san is one of our hardest working students. History isn't her strong suit, but she's still a cheerful participant in my class and always tries her best. I don't doubt that she gives her all in her, ah,_ extracurricular _activities as well._ "

Fujitaka couldn't help smiling. "Thank you, Noboru-san. That's certainly what every parent wants to hear- whether or not a teacher really means it."

" _I wouldn't say it if it weren't true. Sakura-san has a few classmates I might struggle to say nice things about. And it's true that Sakura-san isn't at the top of the class academically-speaking. But class 1-B wouldn't be the same without her._ " He paused for a moment before continuing. " _Pardon me for asking a personal question, but you work with Towa University, correct?_ "

The fond smile that had been on Fujitaka's face while he listened to the kind things Noboru was saying about Sakura suddenly disappeared at the sound of the question. "Yes, I… I work in the department of archeology. Why do you ask?"

" _I was just curious. I remember the name Kinomoto Fujitaka from some interpretive work I did with Towa University back when I was living in Athens. I helped out with several Japanese teams at dig sites along the Saronic Gulf, including a joint program between Towa and Hosei universities. I'm using my Japanese name now, but you'd probably remember me as_ Giorgios _Noboru-_ "

"Giorgios?!" Fujitaka couldn't help blurting out the name, he was so surprised. "I knew your voice sounded familiar, I just couldn't place it! You were the guide when we were doing work near Sounion, right?"

" _The Temple of Poseidon and then some later work at the silver mines of Laurion, yes. Oh, I'm so glad you remember!_ "

"Of course I remember," Fujitaka responded, almost in a laugh. He stood up straighter and pulled out the chair he was leaning on so that he could take a seat. "But what in the world has brought you to Japan? And teaching high school history, no less-?"

" _It was family issues, I'm afraid. There was a fairly unexpected death in the family, and I had to come back to Japan to collect some of my belongings he was looking after._ "

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I know it must be difficult…"

" _Now, now, I didn't mean to get you down! I'm just happy I got the chance to speak with you again. I'd considered looking up some of the Towa faculty since I've been in the area again, but I hadn't gotten the nerve. This was just a fortunate coincidence. Say- would you like to go out for a drink and catch up? I'd love to hear about the work you've been doing the past few years. Are you free tomorrow night?_ "

"Huh? N-no, not tomorrow, but maybe sometime later this week…"

" _Any day is fine for me. I'm new to the school, so I'm not advising any clubs yet. How about Wednesday? You can invite some of the others from the department- I'd like to catch up with them too._ "

"...Wednesday would… yes, that would be fine… um…"

" _I'm sorry, I'm taking up more of your time! You have my number now; you can just text me where and when to meet. I'll look forward to it._ "

"I… I will too."

" _Goodbye. Give my regards to Sakura-san._ "

"Yes. Goodbye."

The call ended so fast, Fujitaka was left staring at his phone for a few moments before he finally set it back down on the table. He let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding and then got up to continue with his earlier task of washing dishes.

"Giorgios Noboru, huh?" he murmured as he approached the sink and began running the water. "What an odd coincidence…"


	8. Sakura and the Lazy Sports Festival

Monthly updates? Shocking! Here's to another fun year with this fic! As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **8- Sakura and the Lazy Sports Festival**

Sakura held her breath as she watched Syaoran close the gap between them, his eyes focused on the track in front of him and his labored breathing matched with the pounding of his feet against the ground. Sakura began to jog forward as he drew closer, and finally he fell in beside her, reaching out to hand her the smooth plastic baton he was carrying. She grasped it firmly in her hand and then took off running, forgetting everything around her except the path of dirt between the white lines that stretched ahead. In the distance, growing closer and closer with every footfall, she could see another figure standing, staring, _waiting_.

And then suddenly Sakura had caught up, passing the baton off to the girl who'd been waiting for her and allowing her tired legs to slow down as her teammate barreled forward with a burst of speed that left even Sakura impressed. By the time she and Syaoran managed to catch their breath and return to the starting point, the girl was already pointing to Tomoyo's stopwatch and cheering.

"Awesome, guys! That's our best time yet! We'll totally beat Reicchan-senpai's class with this! Hicchan, just make sure you master that hand-off to Li-kun, alright? If you drop the baton, we're totally screwed-"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time!"

Tomoyo laughed as Kanda and Hayashi began to elbow each other playfully, while Sakura and Syaoran caught up with her and glanced over her shoulder at the stopwatch.

"Hey, not bad," Syaoran commented.

"It helps that our class has two members of the track team along with Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun," Tomoyo chimed in reply. "Kanda-san and Hayashi-san are pretty impressive to be able to keep up with you two."

Sakura blushed. "You mean the other way around, right? I mean, I heard Hayashi-san might even be going to nationals this spring…"

"Nonsense! Sakura-chan is every bit as good an athlete as-"

Tomoyo's enthusiasm was cut off by an even more enthusiastic embrace from Hayashi, who seemed to have jumped in without even paying attention to what was being said. "Hey, Tomoyo-chan, Tomoyo-chan! Let's go get some drinks! I promised Hicchan I'd buy if he did the hand-off perfectly. Can I call you Tomoyo-chan? You can call me Aiko-chan if you want-!"

The combined excitement from the two girls was infectious, but Sakura and Syaoran were too exhausted from the practice to do much besides smile and wave at them as they headed around the corner of the school building toward the vending machines. The schoolyard was almost empty by this point, filled only by the tents and signs that had been set up that afternoon by student volunteers. It was unusual to be at school so late on a Saturday, but with the sports festival on Monday, excitement was high and many students stuck around to help with the setup and practice for their events.

Kanda watched Tomoyo and Hayashi as well, heaving a frustrated sigh as they disappeared from view.

"Aicchan has always had energy like that. When everyone else is exhausted at the end of practice, she's the one who's begging us to keep going. I've never been able to figure it out. Yamazaki-kun says it probably has to do with her maximal oxygen uptake being higher than normal, which is usually related to endurance training and long-dista-"

"You and Hayashi-san are really close, huh?" Sakura asked, recognizing that she wouldn't get a chance to speak if she didn't jump in. "I think it's great that you're in the same club together!"

Her statement was enough to cut through his train of thought, and he stopped, glancing at the ground to hide the blush on his cheeks. "Oh, that's, um…" Kanda paused, shook his head, and looked up again. "Speaking of which, I need you guys' help! Can you do me a huge favor?"

Syaoran crossed his arms. "I've told you before, we can't join the track team-"

"That's not it!" Kanda waved his hands frantically, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards onto the track. Sakura knelt down beside him to help him up, but Syaoran sat down on the other side, so Sakura decided to sit down with them too. There was a moment of silence between the three of them and finally Kanda managed to collect himself enough to speak up again. "I was just wondering- you guys have been dating since junior high, right?"

Syaoran's face flashed red and he turned his head away. "Well, yeah, but…"

Sakura was less bashful about it. "We have. You went to Tomoeda Elementary _and_ Junior High with us, right? Wouldn't you know that?"

Kanda looked away, fidgeting with his hands. "I did, but it's not like I was paying super close attention to the things going on around me. I was kind of a space cadet back then."

" _Back then-?_ " Syaoran questioned, but Sakura cut him off before Kanda caught on to what he'd said.

"Anyway, why are you asking this now?"

"Because I…I, um…" Kanda's face went red and his glasses suddenly fogged up, so he took them off to clean them on his shirt. "...I want your advice. See, I want to confess my feelings to Aicchan."

" _Oh_!" Sakura's expression burst into a bright smile. "That's wonderful! We'll help as much as we can!"

Syaoran, meanwhile, was more skeptical. "Confess your feelings? I thought you two were already dating. You're always hanging out together, and you call each other those cutesy nicknames-"

"That's just because we've been best friends since we were kids!" Kanda snapped, accidentally tossing his glasses with a careless wave of his hand and having to scramble to catch them. He took a moment to catch his breath and put them back on, and then resumed. "Aicchan and I live by King Penguin Park, so we used to play there together all the time. Aicchan always loved to run, so we'd run around the park together until it got dark and we had to go home. It was hard for me to keep up sometimes, so Aicchan slowed down for me when I needed it, and I worked harder to build up stamina so that I could keep up with her. But… she went to a different junior high, a prestigious girls' school in Tokyo that was known for their sports teams. She had to take the train every day, so she left early and didn't get home until late, especially when she was practicing. I… hadn't realized how much I cared for her until then."

Sakura squeezed her hands together, holding them close to her heart. "It hurts so much when the person you love is far away. Syaoran-kun and I know that."

"So when I heard she was applying to Seijyo High, I studied super hard so that I could get in too! And now we see each other in class and practice, and we walk home together, and…" He sighed a long, frustrated sigh, his cheeks still burning. "...and more than anything, I wanna be honest with her. But I don't know what the best way to go about it is. I asked Yamazaki-kun how he and Mihara-san got together, but he said they got pretend-married on the playground in kindergarten and have been together ever since, so that doesn't help me at all. He said, then, I should ask you guys, since you were friends in elementary school before you started dating."

Sakura and Syaoran glanced at one another. "Well…" Syaoran began, "...it's true that we knew each other in grade school, but we didn't meet until fourth grade, and we weren't exactly the best of friends at the beginning… still, I suppose you could view it the same way. When I, er, when I realized that I… I… l-liked Sakura… I tried hard to confess my feelings to her, but something always seemed to get in the way. I started to get discouraged and worry about how she'd react, if she liked someone else and if she'd feel sorry for me having to turn me down…"

Sakura stared at Syaoran as he spoke, watching the way his cheeks reddened and the corners of his mouth hinted at a fond smile that he wouldn't let show itself just yet. She had never heard him talk so frankly like this, especially not about matters of the heart. It was one thing hearing about his confession attempts from Tomoyo, but hearing it from him was another matter. It made her heart race, and she could only nod along with his advice as he spoke.

"...but if I'd given up because of that, I'd never have been able to express myself. So, even if you have doubts, don't give up until she hears what you have to say."

Kanda had put his glasses back on and was nodding along with Syaoran, though he paused and glanced down at the ground.

"Thanks, Li-kun. That actually helps a lot. I don't want to hide my feelings from Aicchan, but I don't want her to feel sorry for turning me down either, especially if she feels the same."

"If she feels the same?" Sakura questioned. "But then she wouldn't have to turn you down-"

Kanda shook his head. "It's not that easy! You're an athlete, Kinomoto, so you know what it's like. Aicchan is determined to make nationals, and to do that she has to be able to train hard. Plus, she has to keep her grades up, which is hard for her sometimes. Adding a relationship with me… I have to prove that I'm not going to be a burden on her. That's why I'm asking you for help now." He smiled and stood up, placing his hands on his hips in a confident pose. "If we win Monday's relay, it'll be my way of proving to Aicchan that I can run alongside her. So if we win, I'll definitely confess my feelings!"

Syaoran frowned as he pulled himself to his feet and helped Sakura as well. "You shouldn't hinge a decision like that on something where you can't control the outcome. All the classes are competing in the relay together, after all, and-"

"So that means we'll just have to try our best!" Sakura interrupted, standing upright but still holding onto Syaoran's hands. "Don't worry, Kanda-san. Syaoran and I will do our best so that you can stand beside Hayashi-san in first place! I know she'll accept your feelings, so we won't give up on you!"

Kanda's eyes widened and he looked like he might cry. "You guys are amazing, you know that-?"

" _Who's amazing, Hicchan~?_ "

Hayashi jumped in, tackling Kanda in a hug. He stiffened, turning around in an attempt to look at her face to face, but because she was hanging onto him, he only succeeded in turning them both around enough times to make him dizzy. "Aicchan, where…" he began, a little dazed as he tried to regain his balance. "...where'd you come from? How much of that did you hear?"

"Just you calling Sakura-chan and Li-kun amazing. Were you trying to recruit them to the track team again?"

"Yeah, sort of-"

"Sakura-chan! Can I call you that? You can call me Aiko-chan if you like-!"

Before Kanda could even get a reply out, Hayashi had already moved on to Sakura, and he was given a moment of respite. Tomoyo giggled at the sight and then began handing everyone their drinks.

"An orange juice for the amazing Sakura-chan, and a green tea for the amazing Syaoran-kun!"

"Hey, now…" Syaoran protested as he accepted the bottle from her. "...that's not-"

"It really is amazing, though!" Hayashi interrupted, quickly swallowing down a gulp of grape soda. "We've got such good athletes in our class this year! Sakura-chan is doing the obstacle course and the cheerleading demonstration, Li-kun is doing the 100 meter run with me…" She stepped back and elbowed Kanda. "And it's you 'n me in the three-legged race, right? We've gotta practice for that in the park tomorrow! Hey! Why don't we race home? Last one to the park has to buy drinks tomorrow, 'kay?"

The group finished their drinks, and Sakura, Tomoyo, and Syaoran waved goodbye to the others as they left, already arguing about where the starting line for their race should be. It was already twilight, and the schoolyard was filled with the long shadows cast by the buildings. Tomoyo ran back to ask Shimazaki-sensei if there was any more help she needed with setup, but she told the kids to go on home before it got dark, so they agreed. Tomoyo was going to be spending the weekend at the Kinomotos' house while her mother was away on a business trip, and since Syaoran's apartment was in the same general direction, they were able to walk at least part of the way together.

"Oh, I see! So you're not only racing for prestige, but you're racing for love as well!"

Despite Syaoran's protests, Sakura told Tomoyo all about the conversation that they'd had with Kanda while she was gone. Syaoran tried to make Tomoyo promise not to say anything to Kanda, but she was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to pay him any mind.

"It's so beautiful!" Tomoyo cooed, resting her head in her hands. "To think that Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun, who had such trouble getting their feelings across to one another at the beginning, can now offer advice to other blossoming lovers… I'm so proud of how the two of you have grown!"

Sakura forced a nervous laugh. "W-well, I barely gave any advice at all. It was Syaoran who gave Kanda-san the confidence he needed to express himself-"

"It's not so much self-expression that he needed help with," Syaoran interrupted, stepping in front of the group and stopping. "He didn't seem to have any doubts that Hayashi-san felt the same way. His worry was that he would only hold her back in her sports endeavors. For him, the worst case scenario wasn't her rejecting his feelings, it was her feeling conflicted between dating him and following her dreams of making the national track competition. The only person who can assure him that he wouldn't be a burden on Hayashi would be Hayashi herself. Because of that, I figured that the best course of action would be encouraging him to be honest despite his misgivings."

Sakura gasped. "Syaoran-kun, that's so mature of you."

"It's not that. I just… I know how it feels to be afraid more for the other person's feelings than your own. So I couldn't just say nothing."

"I see." Tomoyo closed her eyes and placed her hands over her chest. "Syaoran-kun saw himself in Kanda-san."

Syaoran flinched, his face turning red. "Wha-? No, that's not what I-!" He swiveled around, pointing around the corner. "Th-this is where I turn anyway! I'll see you on Monday, then!"

"Syaoran, wait!"

He had taken a few steps forward, but was immediately stopped by Sakura's voice. She ran to catch up with him and stood on the tips of her toes so that she could reach up and kiss his cheek. His face flashed even redder, if that was possible, and he turned stiffly to look at her.

"See you on Monday," she repeated with a pleasant smile. "Good night."

" _Good… good night!_ " His words echoed off the buildings around them as he dashed off toward his apartment, moving so fast that Sakura and Tomoyo could almost see the comical trail of dust he'd left behind. They turned to look at one another and then laughed.

"You know, if we could somehow harness his embarrassed energy," Tomoyo offered, "our class would win every race for sure."

"Tomoyo-chan! Come on, now…"

* * *

" _And now, to kick off our sports festival, please enjoy a demonstration by the Seijyo High School cheerleading club! This is a preview of the program they're preparing in conjunction with the chorus and concert band clubs for our upcoming culture festival, so we hope you'll be in attendance to see their wonderful performance!_ "

The schoolyard was filled with students and teachers, all excitedly moving about and preparing for the upcoming events. The high emotions were contagious, and once the music and movement started up from the cheerleading club, the ruckus of yelling and applause only added to the crowd's fervor. Tomoyo was watching from one of the music classroom windows near the performance so that she could see- and film- over top of the crowd.

"I'm so glad I asked for this high power 400mm telephoto zoom lens for my birthday," she spoke, letting out a dreamy sigh as the camera focused once again on Sakura's face. "Now I can get beautiful shots from just about anywhere!"

Stephen was watching from her camera bag, and he inched closer to the window to get a better look. "I don't quite understand your technology," he began, "but you picked a wonderful vantage point. This view is stunning. It's the perfect way for me to see Sakura-sama's cheerleading group for the first time!"

Kero, meanwhile, had seen enough cheerleading performances that he was content to sit back on one of the desks in the empty classroom and snack on some of the cookies that Tomoyo had packed. "Say, was cheerleading even a thing back before you were sealed away? I don't really remember it."

"I don't either." Stephen looked back and shook his head. "I suppose it's a modern invention-"

" _Actually_ , organized cheerleading teams had already been established by the beginning of the twentieth century. However, at that time, it was mainly practiced in the United States, and was an all-male sport. Women were not allowed to participate until much later."

The voice came from the piano bench on the other side of the room, where a third tiny creature was sitting and listening to the conversation with restrained curiosity. Kero had invited Spinel the way he usually did with big events, but was genuinely surprised that his fellow guardian had decided to attend. Normally their interactions were restricted to online games and one-sided text conversations.

"What a shame," Tomoyo sighed sadly. "To think of someone as beautiful as Sakura-chan being banned from cheerleading… it was truly a cruel world back then."

"I don't think that was the worst they faced," Kero murmured, but he stopped and shook his head, changing the topic between bites of cookie. "Join us over here, will ya, Suppi? You look so lonely over there, and I know you want one of Tomoyo's cookies-"

"I am not lonely, nor do I have such a desire," Spinel responded, turning his face away with a huff. "My mission today is to collect information about the enigmatic Noboru-sensei for Eriol. Trapped up in this classroom, I'm unable to do so. Daidouji-san, are we really allowed to be here? Don't you have responsibilities as the class videographer for a portion of the festival?"

"Yes, I'm one of the videographers, but my shift doesn't start until later this afternoon. For now, my focus is on capturing Sakura-chan in all her glory!" Tomoyo paused, securing the camera on its tripod and turning back around to address the guardian beasts. "That is, in fact, why I asked Kero-chan and Stephen to be here in the first place."

"Huh?" Kero asked, shoving another cookie into his mouth. Stephen jumped back from the windowsill into the camera bag.

"What is it you require of us, Tomoyo-sama?"

"Well," Tomoyo began, her eyes sparkling with joy, "since I'll be manning the class videography booth during much of the event this afternoon, I'm going to need some help capturing Sakura-chan in all her afternoon events. That's why I need you to operate my camera for me while I'm busy!"

"Us?!" Kero dropped the cookie he was holding and jumped to his feet. "There's no way we can handle that massive telescope of a camera you've got over there the way we are now! And we can't transform into our true forms in a place like this-"

"Don't worry so much, Kero-chan. I'll replace the lens with something smaller so that it's much more manageable. You won't need the 400mm lens if you're in the middle of the action, after all."

"Middle of the-?! Just what do you expect us to do?!"

"Hey, look," Stephen broke in, pointing out the window, "the cheerleaders finished up already."

"Well, it _was_ just a short demonstration," Tomoyo sighed, turning off her camera and detaching the lens to pack up. "I'll enlist your help for the cultural festival as well, since I'll be on stage with the chorus club during the performance and won't be able to film. Oh, but right now is-"

Her statement was cut off by a loud voice projected over the intercom system. " _All the students participating in the hundred-meter dash, please gather on the field. I repeat, all students participating in the hundred-meter dash are to gather on the field at this time. Thank you._ "

"That's Li Syaoran-sama's event!" Stephen gasped, clasping his paws together. "Here, I'll help you pack! We have to go see him! I want video of his hard work as well!"

Kero groaned. "I'm sensing a pattern here…"

"Stephen-chan!" Tomoyo reached out and clasped his paws in her fingers. "If you promise to take good video of Sakura-chan today, I'll promise to take plenty of good footage of Syaoran-kun as well."

"Really? Oh, thank you, Tomoyo-sama! I'll do my very best-!"

Kero shoved another cookie in his mouth. If he wanted to keep up with their enthusiasm, he'd need the energy. "Alright!" he called, his mouth still half full. "Let's go get some fantastic footage!"

"Um, Tomoyo-sama," Stephen interrupted as she zipped up the bag, "how exactly does one… _video_?"

Spinel groaned.

It was going to be a _long_ day.

* * *

Sakura rushed over, still in her cheerleading uniform as she pushed through the crowd lined around the field. The hundred-meter dash participants were already lined up, and the announcer was giving the racers their marks. Sakura managed to break through to the front of the crowd just in time, waving one of her pom-poms frantically.

"Syaoran-kun! You can do it, Syaoran!"

" _...get set… GO!_ "

The starting pistol fired, and the racers took off from the starting line. Syaoran was ahead from the start, but a few seconds into the race, another runner began to overtake him. The two were running side by side until the last two seconds, when she pulled ahead and just barely overtook him across the finish line. A loud cheer erupted, particularly among the girls, and Sakura moved through the crowd as she heard the loudspeaker start up again.

" _First place in the hundred-meter dash goes to Hayashi Aiko, from first year class B. And, oh! This is a first, folks- the second-place finisher is_ also _a first year, and from the same class, Li Syaoran. Congratulations, class 1-B_!"

Syaoran sat near the finish line, trying to catch his breath. Aiko approached him, leaning over to hand him the second-place flag.

"Damn, Li-kun, you almost got me there. Where'd that burst of speed come from anyway?"

"That's-" Syaoran began, but he cut off as he heard his name. Sakura was running through the crowd toward them, waving with one hand while she held her pom-poms with the other. Aiko's eyes lit up.

"Ah… that's why," she murmured, a smirk passing over her face. "Well, then, we'll have to make Sakura-chan wear her cheerleading uniform during the relay race-"

"Like hell we will!"

Sakura caught up with them, not quite catching Syaoran's last statement. "You guys, that was amazing! You were way ahead of everyone else!"

Aiko looked up and grinned at her. "It was my best time yet. I just couldn't allow myself to lose to Li-kun."

Syaoran pulled himself to his feet, brushing off the back of his shorts. "Where's Tomoyo-san? I didn't see her filming the cheerleading demonstration, which surprised me-"

"Oh, ye of little faith~!"

The statement caused both Syaoran and Sakura to jump. "T-Tomoyo-chan," Sakura began, "where'd you come from?"

"I was filming the cheerleading demonstration up in the second floor music room, so I had to take the stairs down. Still, I managed to capture some great footage of Li-kun crossing the finish line!"

Syaoran blushed and looked away. "Why are you filming me? Sakura is usually your subject, right?"

"Yes, but as of today, I'm also getting some footage of Syaoran-kun for a friend."

Syaoran and Aiko both turned to look at Sakura, and it took her a moment to realize what they were getting at. "Wha-? I… I… I didn't ask about anything like that! Why are you looking at me like that?!"

Tomoyo laughed and Aiko joined in, but Syaoran just sighed and gave Sakura a supportive pat on the shoulder.

"I believe you. Tomoyo-san just does whatever she wants, after all."

Aiko finished laughing, shaking her head as she approached the pair and held out her first-place flag. "Alright, where's Hicchan? I've gotta show this to him- He's gonna be so excited that our class won the first event! Of course, I'll have to give him a hard time over missing it, but that's just between us." She winked and turned to Tomoyo, asking if she'd seen Kanda while she was inside the school building. Sakura and Syaoran glanced at each other uneasily, however, both thinking the same thing.

"Kanda-san should've been here to see Aiko-chan run," Sakura whispered. "He was so insistent on cheering her on, after all. Do you think something happened to him?"

"I wonder…" Syaoran crossed his arms as he thought it over. "He goes to the nurse's office every day after lunch, right-?"

"Huh? What was that about the nurse's office?" Aiko twirled around to look at Syaoran. "Hicchan isn't on duty there! You don't think he's sick, do you?"

"Didn't the two of you walk to school together?" Tomoyo asked. "You usually do."

"No, we…" Aiko glanced down at the flag in her hands. "...we usually eat breakfast together at my place and walk together, but I got up early to warm up at the park, so we didn't…"

Her expression began to take on a look of worry, so Tomoyo broke in. "Let's go ask some of our classmates," she suggested, returning her camera to her bag and taking hold of Aiko's arm. "I'm sure they could tell us what's going on. Rika-chan is on duty at the nurse's office, so I'll send her a text in the meantime."

"...okay…" Aiko murmured.

* * *

While waiting for a reply from Rika, the group moved over to the main tent where the registration desk and camera setup were housed. Naoko was working the camera at the moment, slated to switch off with Tomoyo in a couple of hours.

"-haven't seen him, but I'll keep an eye out. It's funny, he's usually so loud, it's hard to miss him."

"Right?" Aiko agreed. "He's totally unmissable! There's no way he could just up and disappear!"

"Maybe," Sakura broke in, "he went somewhere open to practice for the relay. He was worrying about it on Saturday night, so I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to get some extra training in."

Aiko sat on the table, ignoring Naoko's protests as she did so and swinging her legs back and forth. "It doesn't make sense, though. He had no problem running, it was just that hand-off to Li-kun that was giving him trouble. It's not like he can practice that by himself. Maybe he-"

"You guys!" Tomoyo's voice broke through the chatter, sending the whole group on alert. "Rika-chan says he's in the nurse's office. Someone brought him in this morning- it looked like he passed out or something."

" _What_?! That idiot-!"

Aiko jumped off the table and began sprinting toward the main school building. Sakura and Syaoran had to scramble to keep up, and Tomoyo didn't even try. Instead, she handed her camera bag to Naoko.

"Will you take care of this while we go check on him? I'll be back shortly for my shift."

"Of course! Those are cute little plushies you've got there, by the way."

Tomoyo giggled as she watched Naoko lean over the bag to inspect Kero, Spinel, and Stephen. "Aren't they? They're my film assistants for the day." She leaned over the bag and zipped it up. "I've got my camera with me. Take care of my lenses, little guys."

The two girls shared a giggle and Tomoyo continued on back to the school building and down the hall to the first-floor nurse's office. She could hear Aiko's voice yelling over Rika's soft protests, and found the group standing outside the door to the nurse's office, Syaoran and Sakura watching from a short distance. Sakura seemed to be standing on the tips of her toes, eager to step in and help Rika, but Syaoran kept a hand against her wrist and so she stayed where she was.

"-should've known to check his blood sugar-"

"She did," Rika assured her, trying to keep her composure. "The nurse checked it about fifteen minutes ago and it was one-hundred and two milligrams per dl… I assume that's good, since she didn't-"

Aiko let out a long groan. "So what the hell is wrong with him?" Rika didn't answer, so she pushed past her into the room. Tomoyo caught up to Sakura and Syaoran, looking to them with a curious frown.

"What's going on?"

"I'm sorry," Rika began with a bow, "I wish I knew more, but we've been so busy this morning, I haven't had the chance to ask about exactly what's happening…"

"Busy?" Tomoyo asked.

"A lot of students have been brought in with the same description as Kanda-san- passed out and mumbling nonsense."

Syaoran nodded in agreement with Sakura's explanation. "They were all around the cafeteria when they passed out, so it's possible it was something they ate."

"Come on in." Rika motioned, looking noticeably calmer now that she was no longer the subject of Aiko's ire. Still, the group could hear Aiko already arguing with the nurse.

"With all these other people here, you need me to keep an eye on him!"

"Hayashi-san, I'm aware of Kanda-san's specialized medical needs. But I've told you before, I can't allow a student to perform any kind of tests or administer any medication to another student. Please return to your class activities and let me do my job."

The nurse turned around and moved to examine another student, leaving Aiko standing behind with her mouth hanging open. She was standing by the bed that Kanda was lying on, and he reached out and tugged at her shirt.

"Aicchan. Hey. Aicchan."

"Don't ' _hey Aicchan'_ me! What the hell happened to you?!" She spun around on her heels, ignoring the nurse's warning to quiet down. "If you were feeling sick, you shouldn't have come today!"

"I'm not sick. I feel great." Kanda spoke the words with a smile, though he didn't lift his head from the pillow. Sakura, Syaoran, and Tomoyo gathered around to get a good look at him and hear exactly what he was saying. "You've gotta try those jam buns from the cafeteria. They're so good. They're just… like… really good. Like, really, really good. I had one for breakfast, and, _man_ , now I want another. Can you go get me one?"

Aiko clenched her fists. "If you're feeling so good, you go get one yourself!"

"I don't wanna. It's so warm and comfy here…"

"Kanda-san," Sakura spoke up, "you've been looking forward to the sports festival all year. If you stay here, you won't be able to participate."

Kanda groaned and turned away. "Sports festival…?" he asked, his voice weak. "What's that?"

"What do you mean, _what's that_?! Quit screwing with us and tell us what's the matter with you-"

Sakura and Tomoyo grabbed hold of Aiko's arms, trying to calm her down. "I don't think he's in his right mind," Tomoyo said. "It's best to leave him alone for right now until we can figure out what's wrong."

"B-but we've got stuff to do! The three-legged race is in, like, two hours, and then we have the relay race at three-thirty!"

"Then we'll just have to figure this out as fast as we can," Syaoran replied. He turned around and examined the other students who were lying in beds or slumped against the outside wall. There wasn't anything strikingly similar about them, so he called to the nurse, motioning around the room. "Excuse me, is it true that most of the kids here passed out around the cafeteria?"

"Yes, that's right." The nurse was taking one kid's blood pressure, so she didn't turn her head away and just nodded. "Several of them mentioned jam buns, but foodborne illnesses generally have much longer incubation periods, so it seems unlikely it was something they ate. I wonder if a student brought something from home..."

Syaoran turned back and reached out to get Aiko's attention. "Hayashi-san, let's go back outside. We can ask around and see who else ate breakfast at the cafeteria. If a student was passing around some kind of, um, _illicit substance_ , then at least one person had to have seen it."

"...alright, I guess we can do that." Aiko sighed and started toward the door. She paused in the doorframe and turned back for one last statement. "I'm gonna find whoever did this to you and beat 'em to a pulp! Okay, Hicchan?"

There was no response from Kanda, and the nurse's exasperated " _please go, Hayashi-san_ ," was enough to drive the group back out into the hallway. Sakura and Tomoyo offered a friendly wave to Rika as they left, and then fell into step beside Aiko as they continued down the empty hallway.

"...this is all my fault…" Aiko murmured, not to anyone in particular, though Sakura and Tomoyo both protested.

"That's not true, Aiko-chan!" "You couldn't have known this would happen!"

"But…" Aiko glanced away. "...if I'd have just made breakfast for him, he wouldn't have gone to the cafeteria in the first place, and wouldn't have ended up with one of those stupid jam buns-"

"We don't know for sure it was the jam buns," Syaoran interrupted. "You heard what the nurse said. The symptoms aren't consistent with food borne illness."

"I know, I know, but…" Aiko sighed, looking up and the ceiling as she walked and crossing her arms behind her head. "...I used to always carry a jam bun or two with me when we played together as kids. Hicchan was forgetful, so sometimes he'd forget to eat enough. He needed something sweet on hand, and those were easy to carry around. I guess they just kinda became _our thing_ after a while. He must've wanted one for old times' sake."

Syaoran stepped out in front of the group as they made it to the doorway. "Hayashi-san, you know Kanda-san better than we do. You know who he hangs out with and who he talks to. Why don't the three of us focus on asking about activity in the cafeteria, while you talk to some of Kanda-san's other friends to see if he was doing anything suspicious this morning?"

"Right!" Aiko's smile returned and she gave a determined nod in reply. "I'll ask around, then. Come find me if you learn anything, okay?"

"We will." Sakura nodded. "Oh, and should we ask around if we see any classmates that might want to sub in for the three-legged race in case Kanda-san isn't able to-?"

"Not a chance. I'm not giving up on Hicchan yet."

Aiko turned and dashed back out into the crowd, leaving the others behind. She'd run off before any of them could argue with her reluctance to find a new racing partner- probably a good thing, if Syaoran's expression was any indication. Still, he seemed satisfied that she was gone, and turned back to look at Sakura.

"Sorry to run her off like that. I wanted the chance to talk alone for a while. Do you think…?"

His voice trailed off, expecting Sakura or Tomoyo to finish the sentence for him. But neither did. Tomoyo turned to look at Sakura, and Sakura looked down at the floor, fidgeting nervously with her hands.

Syaoran waited a long, awkward moment, and then sighed. "You know that what happened last time wasn't your fault. Stephanos said that Vegetation had a huge advantage with the environment, and we were in such a rush, we didn't have time to come up with a good strategy to lure it out of its element. Now we have time to think rationally about what to do, _and_ we have Stephanos here to ask for advice about the identity and potential weakness of whatever card is doing this."

"And," Tomoyo pointed out, "Noboru-sensei is busy managing the drinks tent, so you can work without worrying about him catching on to what you're doing."

Sakura closed her eyes for a moment, thinking it over. She finally raised her head, and when she did so, she had a smile on her face.

"You're right. I can't let myself get discouraged because of what happened before. Let's go get Stephen and the others, and see what they have to say about this strange behavior. We have to capture the card as soon as possible so that Kanda-san will be able to run with the person he loves!"

* * *

"Yanagisawa-san!"

At the sound of her name, Naoko looked up from the camera display. Yamazaki was running towards her, waving his arms around.

"Aren't you participating in the scavenger race?" she asked, standing up. "What are you doing over here-?"

"Glasses," Yamazaki responded, holding out one hand and showing the crumpled piece of paper he had in his other. Sure enough, it said "eyeglasses" in big handwritten letters. "Let me borrow your glasses."

"Oh, of course." Naoko removed her glasses and handed them over. "Just bring them back as soon as you're done. I need them to adjust the settings on the camera."

"Sure thing! I'll-"

" _Naoko-chan!_ "

Yamazaki's sentence was cut off, and they both turned to look at the girl who'd joined them. Yamazaki gasped in recognition and turned back to look at Naoko again. "You know Izumi-senpai from the drama club?"

Izumi had made it to the table and stopped for a moment to catch her breath. She'd caught the end of Yamazaki's question and motioned towards Naoko. "We're next door neighbors," she explained. "Naoko-chan, I need your help for the scavenger race-"

Yamazaki adopted a defensive position, trying to hide the glasses he was holding from view. "If it's glasses you need, she's already loaned them to me."

"No, no, that's not it." Izumi sighed and began to motion with her hands as she explained. "My clue asked for something 'animal-shaped.' I thought of your hamster pencil case, Naoko-chan, and wondered if I could borrow it."

Naoko frowned. "I'm sorry, Saya-senpai, but I didn't bring it with me today."

"Oh, I see. That's fine, then. I'll look somewhere else-"

"Wait!" Naoko stood up and grabbed Tomoyo's bag from the chair beside her. "My friend Tomoyo-chan brought some plushies with her. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you borrowing one as long as you bring it back."

"Really?" Izumi's eyes sparkled and she stood on the tips of her toes, trying to get a better view of the bag.

"Let's see… there's a fox, a cat, a… bear, I think…?"

"I'll take the fox." Izumi reached over and plucked Stephen from the bag. "Thanks so much, Naoko-chan! I'll bring it right back!"

"No problem. I'm more worried about my glasses…"

"You know," Yamazaki chimed in as Izumi ran off, "when glasses were first invented, they were just lenses with nothing to hold them on people's faces. Instead of wearing them, people just placed them flat against the surface they wanted to magnify, leading people to call them 'reading stones.' It wasn't until the thirteenth century that people actually mounted two frames together for use, and even these early versions were made to be held in place by hand-"

"Yamazaki-kun, aren't you supposed to be participating in the scavenger hunt?"

"... _oh_ , that's right!"

He spun around and started back toward the field, though as he was running, a voice on the loudspeaker announced " _congratulations to the winner of the scavenger race, Izumi Saya from class 3-C…_ "

Naoko sighed, watching Yamazaki's frantic sprint back to the field in an attempt to secure one of the next spots. "Why did we think it would be a good idea to assign him to the scavenger race again?" she asked, more to herself than to anyone else, but she got an answer anyway.

"Yamazaki-kun? He's good with people, so we figured he'd be the best at borrowing whatever he needed."

Naoko recognized the voice, and turned to look over at Tomoyo and two others that she could easily recognize as Sakura and Syaoran by their silhouettes- and general logic. "Yeah, but you heard how that turned out, right?" She laughed and shook her head. "Anyway, how was Kanda-san? Is he doing alright?"

"Not really. It sounds like it was something he ate for breakfast, so we're hoping he'll feel better by this afternoon," Tomoyo answered. She glanced down at the bag and noticed that the zipper was still half open. "Did you need something from my camera bag?"

"Oh, Saya-senpai needed to borrow one of the plushies for the scavenger race. She said that she'd bring it right back, so… er, I'm sorry, should I not have-"

"No, no, it's fine!" Tomoyo forced a smile. "Syaoran-kun, you're in the drama club with Izumi-senpai, right? Can you go find her and get Sakura-chan's plush toy back?"

"What? Me? Shouldn't you be the one to-?" Syaoran began to protest, but he noticed Naoko's concerned expression and stopped. "...fine. I'll meet you guys in the cafeteria, alright?"

"Thanks, Syaoran!" Sakura offered him a smile in reply, one that, from the look of the blush on his face, was bright enough to reach him even through his sour mood. "You're the best!"

"J-just go on…"

* * *

Once Sakura and Tomoyo got inside the school building and out of sight from the others, Tomoyo unzipped the bag. Kero was the first to jump out, immediately jumping into a rant.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! It's one thing to hide me in your bag at times, but to LEAVE that bag ALONE where other people can just RUMMAGE THROUGH IT and MANHANDLE US-"

"We're sorry, Kero-chan." Sakura pressed her hands together and bowed. "We should've kept the bag with us."

"It was remarkably short-sighted of you." Spinel poked his head out as well. "Being put in a bag with Kerberos and Stephanos was humiliating enough, but having to play the role of a stuffed animal while a complete stranger evaluated us as potential scavenger hunt items? It took the word 'demeaning' to a whole new level."

"Hey, don't take it too hard," Tomoyo reassured him. "One time in junior high, someone from our class grabbed Syaoran-kun for the clue ' _imported good_."

Sakura giggled. "Yeah, that was pretty funny… h-hey, wait a minute! Now's not the time to be joking around! We've got a serious situation here and we need your help!"

"A situation?" Kero asked. "You don't mean a Warp Card, do you?"

Sakura and Tomoyo both nodded in unison. "We think it may be related to some kind of food they were selling in the cafeteria," Tomoyo replied, "but we don't know for sure. That's why we wanted to ask Stephen for his help. But if he's not here, then…"

"Hey, hey, we don't need that lil' pipsqueak to help us! We can find this card all on our own! Right, Suppi-buddy?"

Spinel was not as enthusiastic. "Pipsqueak? With those ears of his, he's taller than both of us. If you can't make proper observations of someone so close to you, how do you expect to make astute enough observations to identify the card?"

"Now, now, calm down you two." Tomoyo smiled and waved her hands toward them. "Let's go to the cafeteria. It should be pretty empty, since lunch is being served outside today. That will give us the chance to sneak in and find where they're keeping those jam buns."

"Let's hurry!" Sakura nodded, already running off toward the staircase. "If we don't find the card quick, Kanda-kun will feel like he failed Aiko-chan, and then he'll never have the courage to confess his feelings to her."

"Kanda? Aiko?" Spinel groaned. "This is starting to sound like one of those television dramas that Ruby Moon is always watching. Do these cards not pose a much larger threat than complicating a teenage relationship?"

Kero patted him on the back. "Ya gotta know what motivates Sakura. She's the cardcaptor, after all."

"Yes, Clow Reed certainly knew how to pick them…"

The two guardians settled back in Tomoyo's bag as the girls ran up to the cafeteria. When they entered, they found it mostly empty, save for a group of second-year students huddled around one of the tables. One was slumped over the table, and the others seemed to be calling out to her.

"Ayumu-chan, wake up!" "Come on, Ayumu-chan, this isn't funny!" "The costume race is in twenty minutes! What are you doing?"

The girl laid out on the table was mumbling something about " _delicious jam_ " and " _what's a costume race_?" Tomoyo ran up to the group, pushing her way in.

"What's going on? What happened here?"

"Oh, it's Daidouji-san from the chorus club! You've gotta help us. Ayumu-chan just suddenly collapsed. She doesn't seem to know what's going on."

"She didn't eat one of the jam buns, did she?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yeah, how did you…?"

"Kids have been getting sick from jam buns since this morning!" Sakura broke in. "Where did she get it? Is the cafeteria still open?"

"N-no, she bought it earlier and has been saving it. I don't think anyone is in the kitchen now. Should we go tell them?"

Tomoyo pointed back at the hallway. "You should take Ayumu-senpai to the nurse's office and find someone to take her place in the costume relay. Sakura-chan and I will go tell someone, okay?"

"Yes!" "Thanks, Daidouji-san."

With the group of second years out of the cafeteria, Sakura and Tomoyo were the only ones left. Kero and Spinel poked their heads out of the bag.

"So it's totally the jam buns that are messing with the students, right?" Kero asked. "Look at that, we've already figured something out without Stephen's help."

Spinel let out a sigh. "Nothing good can come of having too many sweets."

"So where do you think they're keeping these jam buns?" Sakura asked. "Should we look behind the counter, or do you think they have them locked up?"

Tomoyo was already around the other side of the counter, examining the shelves underneath. "I see some boxes, but they're not labeled. What do we do? It'll take forever to check all of them-"

"Just leave this to me!" Kero yelled, flying up into the air. He turned back to Sakura and offered a wink and a thumbs-up. "I've got a foolproof plan to find exactly where the jam buns are hiding!"

"Hm?" Sakura blinked, unsure what he was talking about. "What do you mean…?"

Kero let out a haughty ' _hmph._ ' "Watch and learn, Sakura." He dove back into Tomoyo's bag, rummaging around before finally coming back out with a cookie in hand. Sakura nearly fell over.

"Don't tell me you just wanted to eat a cookie!"

Spinel put a paw to the side of his face and groaned. "Glutton as usual. As it seems Kerberos will be no help, I'll begin going through the boxes with you-"

"Oh, no you don't! This cookie isn't for me!" Kero replied, grabbing hold of the end of Spinel's tail. "This is for- YOU!"

Before Spinel could protest or struggle, he found the cookie shoved in his mouth. There was nothing he could do but chew it up, and he finally swallowed it down with a pained effort. Sakura and Tomoyo glanced at one another, but before they could even ask what was going on, Kero spoke up again.

"Alright, buddy. Cookies are nice and all, but what's really great is a nice jam bun… soft and fluffy on the outside, not too sweet with a squishy, tangy center just bursting with fruity flavor… wouldn't that hit the spot right about now?"

Sakura and Tomoyo stared, neither one sure what was supposed to happen. A moment passed, and Spinel started to tremble… then, suddenly…

" _Sweets, sweets, sweets, I'm coming for you! My delicious jam buns, where are you hiding? I want to eat those jam buns, jam buns, sweet, delicious, jam buns-"_

Sakura jumped backwards as Spinel zoomed past her, and Tomoyo snapped to alert with her camera, keeping it trained on him as he passed by the boxes one by one, his nose twitching violently as he stalked his jam-filled prey.

" _Where are you, jam buns? Here? No. Here? No. You must be-_ " He let out a gasp as he settled on a single box and threw open the lid and ripped into one of the packages. " _Aha! Here you are, my precious jam buns! I'm gonna eat, gonna eat, gonna eat you up!_ "

Within a split second, Spinel had devoured the entire bun and was reaching back into the box for more. However, as he did so, his tail and wings began to droop, and he fell against the lid flap of the box, tumbling off onto the floor and collapsing into a heap.

"Spinel!" Sakura gasped, having followed him around the corner. She dropped to the floor beside him, reaching to pick him up and place him in her hand. "What's going on? Are you alright?"

"...ah, who's Spinel?" he asked in a sigh. "I'm just a jam bun... I want to eat all the jam out of the center… and curl up inside… and live there forever…"

"So that's it," Sakura murmured. "That's the effect this card has on people. It makes them all sleepy and forgetful. I can see how that would be dangerous if used on a large scale, but it seems like it can't affect people unless they eat the food."

Tomoyo switched off her camera and set it aside, crossing her arms. "So, where's the card's true form? Is it in that box with the rest of the jam buns?"

"I don't sense it in there." Sakura shook her head and stood up, turning around to gently place Spinel back in Tomoyo's camera bag. "Since these boxes aren't labeled, they're probably just temporary places to store this stuff. The bulk boxes would be in the back kitchen, so we should-"

She cut off as she heard voices heading their way. It was another group of first-years from the class next to theirs, saying something about " _picking up the box for Shimazaki-sensei_." Another one said something about " _it should be behind the counter, on the bottom shelf_ ," so Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's hand and pulled her into the kitchen. The two jumped behind the wall and pressed themselves up next to it to listen.

"Oh, here it is. Looks like someone already got it out for us," one student said. "C'mon, close the lid and help me pick it up."

"You don't need help," the other student scolded. "Jam buns aren't heavy."

"Aw, c'mon, man! What's that saying? Teamwork makes the dream work?"

"Just hurry up. The bread-eating contest is in ten minutes and we still haven't set everything up."

Sakura covered her mouth to stifle a gasp and jerked her head around to look at Tomoyo. They couldn't speak, but the look they shared said everything they needed it to.

 _We have to do something._

The two boys left with the box in tow, and Tomoyo and Sakura waited for them to move out of earshot before rushing back through the doors.

"Sakura-chan," Tomoyo began, clasping her hands together, "if they use those jam buns in the bread-eating contest, then everyone competing will be-!"

"No, I won't let that happen!" Sakura shook her head, digging into her pocket to retrieve a card. She called out the incantation for her key, and once the staff had reached its full size, tapped the end against the card. "Sweet card! Make the jam buns so sickeningly sweet that no one can take more than a single bite! _SWEET!_ "

As Sweet flew off down the hallway, Sakura turned back to Tomoyo.

"We should look in the kitchen for the box that all the buns came from. It's probably where the card enchanted all the jam buns- and where it's hiding. I can feel something strong hiding vaguely in that direction."

The two crept into the the kitchen, reluctant to turn on the lights until they were sure it was too dark to see the writing on the boxes. Tomoyo held her bag closer and focused her camera on Sakura as she crept toward the light switch and reached out to click it on. The kitchen flooded with light and Tomoyo and Kero shielded their eyes.

A tense moment passed, though none of them was sure what they were frightened of. Sakura's mind raced with images of a frightening card attacking and sounds of a teacher's voice demanding to know what was going on. But none of that happened. The kitchen was quiet, its atmosphere filled with only the hum of the refrigerator and the muffled sound of Spinel's snoring from inside the camera bag.

Sakura turned around to Tomoyo- or, rather, the lens of Tomoyo's camera. "Let's start by looking for the original box of jam buns."

"I think they generally keep nonperishable goods along the back shelves. I'll stand by the side here to get a good angle."

"Oryou could, ya know, _help_ ," Kero added, though the statement only got a laugh from Tomoyo. Sakura, meanwhile, was already going down the row of boxes one by one.

"Anpan… melonpan… oh, here we go! Jam buns!"

It was a large box, cardboard with green lettering along the side and the company logo stamped on it, and the lix was closed simply by folding the flaps over one another. Sakura pulled it out and placed it on the floor, hesitant to drop her staff so that she could open it.

"Do you sense the card?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura examined the box with a frown. "I sense something…"

"Be careful," Kero warned. "You don't want to be taken off-guard again."

"Yeah, yeah…"

She tried to brush it off as him just poking fun at her or being dramatic for the camera, but it hurt. It had been a little over a week since her conflict with The Vegetation, and while she had received support from various sources- not the least of which was Stephen, assuring her that Vegetation was part of the most offensive group of cards; the "lust" cards, though he didn't explain what that term meant and she wasn't feeling up to asking further questions at that point. But his reassurance felt hollow after how desperately he'd pleaded with her to capture and purify the cards. He was too kind to scold her, yet somehow she wished he would. This offhand comment from Kero was the first thing she'd received that even resembled a scolding, and it felt like all the pain she deserved was hitting her at once.

Pushing her thoughts aside, Sakura grabbed the flaps on the box and pulled them open. Inside the box was a pile of individually wrapped jam buns, the same as those they'd seen earlier. However, sitting atop the buns, laid out and lazily munching on a half-eaten one was a tiny fairy-like creature. Sakura gasped and the sound was enough to make the creature open one eye. It jumped, dropped the jam bun, and dove back down into the box.

"Get back!" Kero yelled as he recognized the burst of magical energy it released when it disappeared from view. Sakura and Tomoyo both jumped back and the box began to shake violently.

A tree began to emerge from the box, growing rapidly both up and out to fill the room. Memories of Vegetation's attacks flew through Sakura's mind, and she gripped her staff close to her chest as she dove down underneath the branches of the tree.

"Wh-why is it growing a tree?!" she demanded. "I thought it affected food!"

"Don't ask me!" Kero shot back, swerving back and forth to avoid the branches. "There's some sort of weird fruit growing on it-"

"That's no fruit!" Tomoyo broke in. "It's growing _jam buns_!"

It was such a strange exclamation, Sakura really didn't expect to see them when she looked up. But there they were, hanging off the branches of the tree like juicy, ripe fruits. It left Sakura completely dumbfounded, and Tomoyo drew closer trying to get clear video of it. She wasn't paying attention, however, and one of the branches wrapped itself around her wrist. Once the leaves touched her skin, her whole body went limp and she crumpled to the floor.

" _Tomoyo!_ " Sakura shrieked, and flinched as she saw the branches coming for her as well-

"God of ice, heed my call!"

The branches in front of Sakura were encased in ice, and Syaoran burst in, shattering them with his sword. Stephen jumped in front of them, transforming into his true form so that he could make a defensive stand.

"Sakura-sama, be careful! Anyone that The Lotus touches will be drained of all energy and motivation, forgetting their purpose and falling into a sleep of eternal apathy!"

Sakura covered her mouth with one hand. "So that's what happened to everyone who ate the jam buns…"

Kero flew over to Tomoyo, nudging her arm. "Hey, wake up! Don'tcha gotta videotape Sakura capturing the card?"

"...hmm? Video?" Tomoyo murmured, her eyes still closed. "...what's that…?"

Kero tossed a glance back at the tree and then pulled the camera from Tomoyo's hand, slipping his body into the hand strap so that he could keep it steady. "You can thank me later," he said as he hoisted the camera up and aimed it back over at Sakura, "preferably with some more of those cookies!"

In the meantime, Sakura was running around the tree, trying to find an opening in the card's defenses. Syaoran was covering her with his ice magic, keeping the branches from straying too close. Stephen was running alongside Sakura, giving instructions as best he could.

"The card's true form is that little fairy you saw in the box earlier. It should be hiding at the top of the tree there… if you can reach it, you'll be able to seal it and convert it."

"Got it," Sakura answered with a nod. "That, I can do. Help me out, JUMP!"

With the wings on her shoes propelling her forward, she was able to jump up onto the countertops, moving around to find the best place to approach the tree. Syaoran was still trying to fight off the branches, but his ice magic wasn't precise enough to freeze more than a few branches at a time. Sakura closed her eyes and pulled another card from her pocket.

"Wood card! Grow among Lotus' branches and restrain it with your own! WOOD!"

Syaoran jumped backwards as a second tree began to grow around the first, spiraling around and limiting Lotus' movements. As it did so, Wood's branches began to droop, and the leaves started turning yellow and falling off. Sakura knew she had to act quickly, so she tightened her grip on the staff and put her energy into Jump's power. She bent her knees and leapt forward, flying up into the air until she was high enough to see Lotus' true form lounging at the top of the tree. Without even thinking about it, she brought her staff down on it and shouted the incantation.

" _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from my light! SAKURA CARD!_ "

The creature disappeared in a flash of light, the energy from its body and the tree beneath it coalescing into a card form. Sakura and the card both floated down to land gently on the floor beside the now-disenchanted box of jam buns, and she reached out to take the card in her hand.

"Lotus," she spoke, reading its name. The image on the card showed the same fairy creature, curled up as though it were sleeping, a peaceful smile on its face as it held a large, colorful fruit in its arms.

"Hmm? Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo pulled herself to a seated position, looking around the kitchen. "What just happened? Where did the card go?"

Sakura gasped and ran to embrace her. "Tomoyo-chan, you're okay!" Once the two girls had embraced, Sakura stood up and turned back to Syaoran. "And you, Syaoran-kun… you saved me. If you hadn't come in when you did, the card would've caught me and made me forget what I was doing. It just… reminded me of what happened with Vegetation, and I was so scared-"

" _I'm_ sorry for leaving you like that," Syaoran replied, moving to place his hands against her arms. "I should've asked you to wait until I'd retrieved Stephen to confront the card."

"We were the ones who ran in recklessly," Sakura answered, shaking her head. "But it all worked out. See?"

She turned Lotus toward him so that he could see it, and as she did so, Wood, Jump, and Sweet flew over to examine it as well. They hovered next to it and then settled back into Sakura's hand beside it. She smiled at them and pulled them close to her chest.

"Thanks to you guys as well. I know I don't thank the cards enough, and I couldn't have done it without you either-"

" _Oh no_!"

The cry came from Tomoyo, and everyone turned to look at her. "What's the matter?" Syaoran demanded.

"When the card attacked me… I must've dropped my camera! I didn't get any footage of Sakura-chan capturing it!"

"Worry not, my friend," Kero replied, hovering over to pat her on the head, "for _I_ got video footage of the whole thing."

Tomoyo looked up, eyes sparking as she reached for the camera he was offering her. "Kero-chan, you… you did that for me?"

He passed the camera over to her, watching as she flipped through the video frames to examine them. "Hey, what are friends for?"

"Oh, Kero-chan, you're the best! This looks great!"

Sakura turned to Syaoran and smiled, and he offered a resigned sigh in reply. Stephen, meanwhile, had returned to his small form and was busy placing all the scattered jam buns back in the original box.

"Sakura-sama, where did this box go? Once we place it back where it belongs, the kitchen should be tidy enough that no one will know we were here."

"Oh, of course! Let me help!"

Sakura joined him in gathering the last of the scattered packages and returning the box to the shelf. Syaoran turned the kitchen lights back off, and the three headed back into the cafeteria, closing the door behind them.

"Come on!" Tomoyo motioned, pointing back out toward the hallway. "We need to go check on Kanda-san and the others at the infirmary."

"They should be freed from Lotus' spell now," Stephen offered, settling back into the camera bag, but if they were asleep, they'll probably need to be woken up.

"You mean like Suppi over here?" Kero asked, gesturing down to the bottom of the bag where Spinel was asleep, spooning the bag of cookies. "I kinda wanna let him sleep."

Stephen giggled. "Yes, I suppose we can allow Suppi-sama to rest a little longer."

"Hah! _Suppi-sama_! I can't wait to hear you call him that to his face…"

* * *

Kanda nearly fell out of the bed as he frantically scrambled to his feet. The nurse hadn't allowed him to get up until they were sure his blood sugar was normal, and once he'd been given the okay, he didn't waste a single second.

"Like, I passed out? For real? How long was I out? What time is it? Where's Aicchan?! She's gonna be so pissed at me-"

"It's okay. She was just worried, is all," Tomoyo assured him. "You should head out to the field if you're feeling up to it."

"Don't push yourself, though," Sakura assured him. "We can go out and get her, then-"

" _All students participating in the three-legged race, please make your way to the field. I repeat, all students participating in the three-legged race, make your way to the field._ "

"That's me! I've gotta go!" Kanda ran toward the door and waved for the others. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Sakura moved to follow him, but stopped momentarily and glanced back. Tomoyo smiled and Syaoran offered a nod. "We'll make sure everyone here is alright. You go make sure that things are alright between Hayashi-san and Kanda-san."

"I will!"

By the time Sakura made it to the field, Hayashi was yelling back and forth with Kanda, and she didn't want to interrupt. She merely drew close and listened.

" _-_ that you weren't even gonna compete? Surely someone would've run with you! You're the fastest in the whole school! Anyone in our class would be happy to-"

Kanda didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Aiko cut him off. "You blockhead! It's not about winning! It's about running together! And if you weren't with me, there was no point…" Her stern expression softened and she stepped back. "...if you don't feel like running, I understand-"

"No, no! Let's do it!" Kanda broke in. "I promise, I'll run with you. We can-"

" _If there are any more students running in the three-legged race, this is the last call to make your way to the starting line. I repeat, last call for students participating in the three-legged race._ "

"Ack! Get over here, Hicchan! We're gonna miss it!"

Sakura couldn't suppress a giggle as she watched Aiko pull Kanda over to the starting line so that the assistants could tie their legs together. Within a few minutes, the participants were all lined up, and Tomoyo and Syaoran had joined Sakura amongst the crowd of onlookers. The starting pistol went off and the runners started forward, most of them stumbling or pulling at each other. But one pair stood out, their stride in perfect sync and their practiced movements propelling them forward across the finish line side by side.

* * *

" _Congratulations to first year class B's Kanda, Li, Kinomoto, and Hayashi for their wonderful performance in the relay! This concludes the events of Seijyo High School's sports festival. Please prepare yourselves for the closing ceremonies in fourty-five minutes._ "

Tomoyo clicked the record button to turn off her camera and ran to where the relay team was encouraging and embracing each other. "You guys, that was amazing!" she called. "I'll need to confirm with Shimazaki-sensei, but I'm pretty sure that's a new school record!"

"Hicchan managed that hand-off like a pro!" Aiko enthused, giving him an affectionate punch on the shoulder. "I guess I owe you guys drinks, huh?"

"I-I can help you get them!" Kanda stammered. "Is it alright if I go with you?"

"What? I mean, if you're so eager to help carry stuff, be my guest." Aiko stood up and grabbed his hand to help him up. "It'll be a good setup. I'll buy, you carry. What'll it be, pals- the usual?"

Syaoran put his hands up. "You really don't have to get us anything, you know-"

Tomoyo elbowed him, whispering " _the more time they have to themselves, the better,_ " and then smiled back at the two. "Yes, the usual will be fine, thanks! Take your time, though- there's still plenty of time before the closing ceremonies."

"You say that like we've got something to hide," Aiko shot back, her smile turning up into more of a smirk. "Don't blow my secrets, alright?"

Kanda nudged her. "You're not gonna try to kick the machine to win a free drink, are you?"

"Hey, it worked in _Shadow Brigade 3_ , didn't it?"

"That's a video game, blockhead."

" _I'm_ the blockhead? _You're_ the blockhead who couldn't beat it without my cheat codes-"

The two continued to bicker, and Sakura glanced back and forth between Tomoyo and Syaoran. "...should we…?"

"You want to follow them, don't you?" Syaoran asked.

"I-I mean… it's not that I want to eavesdrop on them… but I want to know how it goes…" Sakura blushed and pressed her index fingers together. "After all, it was Kanda-san who came to us for advice. So…"

"Well, let's go!" Tomoyo replied, setting her camera bag down under the nearby tent and slipping her arm around Sakura's to pull her in the direction the two had run.

Syaoran sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and followed after them.

* * *

Tomoyo led the way around the building, stopping before rounding the corner by the vending machine. Sakura stopped beside her, listening to the friendly banter that was still being tossed back and forth between Kanda and Aiko.

"-well, I wouldn't have used those cheats if I'd known they'd break my game!"

"Why do you think they call them _game-breaking cheats_ , dumbass?"

"I thought it was, like, metaphorical or something!"

Aiko snickered and gave Kanda a gentle punch on the arm. "You're so cute with your stupid metaphors, you know that?"

"C-cute? Like, handsome-cute? Or like, puppy-cute?"

"Is that important? Do you _want_ me to think you're handsome…?"

Kanda's face turned red. "...th...that's not…"

Aiko laughed and shook her head. "I do, but… it's not just that, you know…" She closed her eyes and sighed. "I always loved running with you, so I assumed I loved running. And yeah, I guess I do. But, when I went away to junior high and got so focused on running by myself, I realized that it wasn't just the running I loved. It was the _you_ part too. So I guess… I love _you_."

Kanda was quiet, and when he finally spoke up again, his voice cracked. "Y-you… you…" He stomped one foot in frustration. "You're always one step ahead of me, even with confessions!"

"What the hell-?"

"I was all worked up to tell you that I like you, y'know, to ask you out and stuff-"

"Well, why don't you?" Aiko held out her hand. "Go on. Do it."

Kanda jumped back. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Stupid! If I didn't want to go out with you, I wouldn't tell you to ask me. That's just mean."

"You _are_ kinda mean sometimes-"

"Are you going to ask me or not?"

Sakura and Tomoyo glanced at one another, exchanging a nervous smile. " _...I think it's going well,_ " Tomoyo whispered, and Sakura could only shrug in reply.

"Okay, okay, okay! Aicchan, will you go out with me? We can have track practice dates, and meet at the park to train when you're preparing for a meet-"

Aiko slung her arm around his shoulder and pressed her cheek against his. "Easy, there! I wanna go on real dates, y'know? Like going out to the movies or the arcade! That new horror movie is coming out around Halloween, isn't it? What was it called… Train of Terror? I freakin' love trains, man. We've gotta check it out…"

Syaoran reached out to gently touch Sakura's arm. She turned to look at him in surprise, and he motioned back toward the field. "We should go," he whispered. "I think we've heard enough to know how it went."

"How beautiful," Tomoyo cooed. "A slow-growing love has been awakened in two fast runners, thanks to the efforts of Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun."

"Hey, now, don't say anything to them until they tell us themselves," Sakura warned. "We weren't supposed to be eavesdropping, remember?"

Tomoyo winked and pressed a finger to her lips.

* * *

The tent where Tomoyo had set her camera bag down was deserted, so Kero slipped out with the camera in tow and hid underneath the tablecloth. Stephen followed, watching over his shoulder as he reviewed some of the earlier footage.

"Man, check this out! This cinematography deserves an award, right? Hah, maybe I'll even become the first guardian beast director-"

"Kerberos," Stephen broke in, "could you play the clip with Li Syaoran-sama running in the hundred-meter dash this morning?"

"Huh? You wanna see that one?" Kero quickly navigated back to the camera menu and flipped through the clips until he found the right one. "...here we go. This is the one, right?"

"Oh, yes! Perfect!" Stephen grabbed the camera from him and pulled it closer to press his face near the screen. "This technology is incredible! It's as though I were actually there watching him race! Oh… he's working so hard… look at that determined expression… and the burst of energy he gets there at the end when he realizes Hayashi-san is passing him…"

Kero was going to warn Stephen not to push his face too close to the screen, but he stopped as he examined the expression on Stephen's face. There was a look in his eyes that Kero hadn't seen in them- at least not in this form. But he _had_ seen it before.

"Listen, uh, Stephanos-" Kero broke in, drawing his attention away from the screen. Stephen looked over at him, tilting his head in confusion at the sudden seriousness in his voice. "-I'm not one to get all judgy over people's affections, considering that matters of the heart are rarely a choice. But as someone who's gotten your heart broken before, I'm surprised that you would allow your affections to fall on someone who's so deeply in love with someone else-"

"Wha-?!" Stephen dropped the camera, and Kero had to leap in to catch it before it hit the ground.

"Hey, watch it, will ya? These things are fragile!"

"M-my interest in Li Syaoran-sama is not romantic in nature!" A slight blush settled on his cheeks and he glanced away. "True, it's a little embarrassing, but that's not the reason."

"Oh? So what's the deal, then? Why are ya so interested in him?"

"Well, the thing is..." Stephen closed his eyes and sighed. "...when I see the way he looks, the way he holds himself, the determination and valor he shows in every situation… truly, I cannot imagine that he _isn't_ the descendant of Chioni and Xiaohe. It is foolish, I know, but it was my first impression and I can't help it."

Kero let out a thoughtful hum. "I see. So it's more of a protective, parental bond, huh? I can't say it doesn't make sense."

Stephen nodded. "When I first heard he was the current heir of the Li clan, I assumed he had to have been the descendant of Li Lian. I didn't realize that Xiaohe was cut off from the family, and-"

" _Lian_?" Kero interrupted. He'd been sitting against the camera, but the name caught his attention and he stood up again. "Who is that?"

"Lian?" Stephen repeated. "Li Lian, Chioni and Xiaohe's daughter."

There was a pause as Kero stared at Stephen, trying to make sense of his question.

"I think you're confused. This Lian person you're describing- she never existed."

Another moment passed. A hint of a smile began to tug at the end of Stephen's mouth.

"But you were close to Xiaohe, were you not? You would've known their daughter-"

"Stephanos, buddy…" Kero reached out, but then retracted his arm again. "...I don't think I'm the one who should be telling you this, but… Chioni's child was stillborn."

"... _what_?"

"There was nothing anyone could do. I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but-"

"Th-that's impossible!" Stephen's voice cracked as he protested. "I saw her! I _met_ her! Chioni introduced me to her and everything! She was only five days old, but she already had so much personality, and-"

Kero jumped back, surprised by the force in Stephen's voice. "Whoa, whoa! I told ya, I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but I'm only tellin' ya what I know."

"Then how do you explain my memories?" Stephen demanded, stepping closer. "I know what I saw, Kerberos!"

Kero sighed, placing a paw against the side of his head. "I know what'cha think you saw, alright? But it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Warp Neon somehow altered your memories. He might have done it so that he could more easily manipulate you after Chioni's death- if you'd believed that she had left her beloved child behind, you would've been even more devastated than you were already-"

"More devastated? How would it have been possible to be _more_ devastated? What more could he have done to me?! Chioni was the _one_ person who ever cared for me, the _one_ person who brought joy to my life of harrowing servitude-"

The tablecloth moved, and Stephen cut off his sentence forcefully, slapping a paw over his mouth. However, a familiar voice groaned, and suddenly Spinel appeared in the gap, slipping quietly under the table.

"What are the two of you arguing about over here? You were so loud, you woke even me. Don't you think someone will grow suspicious of the yelling going on in this tent? We could be discovered."

Stephen's ears drooped. "S-sorry, Suppi-sama. I didn't mean to-"

" _Suppi-sama_? My name is Spinel! And what happened earlier, anyway?" Spinel crossed his arms and sighed. "All I remember is Sakura-san chasing after the Warp Card, and then I seem to have blacked out. Was I attacked as well?"

"I'm not sure. I was in the possession of Li Syaoran-sama's friend who needed me for her event. By the time he retrieved me and joined with the group, Sakura-sama was already fighting the card, and you were sleeping off your… what did Kerberos call it… _food coma_?"

Spinel flinched. "Food coma?" he stammered, beginning to sweat a little. "What exactly did you mean by that-?"

"Don'tcha worry," Kero broke in, holding up the video camera with a grin. "I've got it all on video, _Suppi-sama_."

He clicked one of the clips, and the image of Spinel ravenously tearing through the boxes in his search for the jam buns appeared on the screen. Spinel jumped back, sweat pouring off the side of his face now. "Th-that… that… that video… get rid of it immediately! Delete that clip-!"

Spinel lunged forward in an attempt to grab the camera from Kero, but he missed the camera itself and ended up knocking Kero over instead. The two got into a scuffle, tumbling along the ground. Spinel kept trying to break free, aiming in the direction of the camera, but Kero grabbed him every time and pulled him back.

Meanwhile, Stephen walked over to the camera and opened up the display again, overwhelmed by the flash of light and the appearance of the different video icons. He glanced over at the struggle between the other two guardians and reached out in concern. "Erm… I'll delete it for you Suppi-Spinel-sama. I just don't know how."

Spinel managed to wrestle Kero to a standstill for long enough to call out instructions. "If it's a standard digital camera, it should be user-friendly. Look for a button that says _select_ , and then it should prompt you to-"

"Oh, here it is! I've got it! Now, do I delete the whole thing, or just part of it-"

"Whole thing!" Spinel called from under a chokehold. "The whole clip!"

"Got it!" Stephen nodded and then pressed his paw to the screen again. "Aaaand… _delete all_."

His statement stopped both Kero and Spinel in their tracks. They both froze and stared. Kero was the first to speak.

"... _delete all_? Did you just hit _delete all_?"

"That's right!" Stephen chimed proudly. "I figured it out! ...though, the screen seems to be blank now. Where did the other clips go? I want to see the one of Li Syaoran-sama running again-"

Kero zipped over to where Stephen was sitting and ripped the camera out of his paws. "No way!" he yelled, flipping through the screen. "You've gotta be kiddin' me! You _seriously_ hit 'delete all?!"

"Well, of course. Suppi-Spinel-sama asked me to delete the whole clip-"

"But just the clip," Spinel broke in with a resigned sigh. "It seems my directions were not clear enough. Pity."

Kero turned the camera back to him, yelling out in frustration. "You've deleted _everything_! Tomoyo's gonna kill us!"

"Kill us?" Stephen let out a nervous laugh. "Surely that is an exaggeration, Kerberos. She would never do such a thing to us over a few simple video clips-"

Kero grabbed Stephen by the tuft of fur on his chest. "Listen, buddy, you don't know how serious Tomoyo is about these videos. When she finds out what you did, she's gonna flip-"

" _Here, let's grab the camera bag so that I can tape the closing ceremonies, and then we can head over to the field stage._ "

Kero flinched. "Oh no, that's her! I've gotta get outta here! I can't be associated with you when-"

Tomoyo lifted up the tablecloth to see the three animals underneath. "Hmm? What are the three of you doing here? Were you looking at the videos?" She reached in to take the camera, but Kero flew up to her face, his arms flailing as he yelled.

"Ya gotta listen to me; I had nothin' to do with it, alright? This is all Stephen and Suppi's fault, and I wasn't involved in the slightest-"

"Kero-chan, what are you talking about?" Sakura poked her head under the table as well, hearing the voices. "What did you have nothing to do with?"

"Oh!" Tomoyo let out a gasp as she turned on her camera. "Is this what you're talking about? All the clips are gone."

"Yes, that's right." Stephen fell to the ground in a bow. "I'm so sorry, Tomoyo-sama. I was trying to help Suppi-Spinel-sama by deleting one of the video clips, but I seem to have… accidentally… deleted them all. My sincerest apologies."

Tomoyo was quiet for a moment, looking back and forth between Stephen, Kero, and the camera. Eventually she closed the viewer on the camera and smiled.

"That's alright. No worries."

Kero jumped back. "Wh-wha-? What are you talkin' about, _that's alright_?! If it were me deletin' all yer files, you'd have killed me on sight!"

Tomoyo giggled. "Don't be so dramatic, Kero-chan. This is a wi-fi enabled camera with web-based storage. As long as I'm connected to the internet, any videos I record get sent directly to the web folder so that I can access them from any device. So even if they're deleted from the camera's internal storage, I still have them. See?"

She pressed a few buttons on her smartphone and pulled up a video of Sakura's earlier card capture. Stephen gasped, his eyes sparkling as he drew closer. "What an incredible piece of technology, Tomoyo-sama! But how in the world can one store videos in a web? I have not seen any spiders present at the event today."

Tomoyo pulled him with her back out from under the table. "No, no, silly. It's not a literal web. Rather, that's the name that we've given to a twenty-first century form of wireless storage..."

The two continued to talk, and Sakura pulled both Kero and Spinel from the table too. "C'mon, you guys, we're going to be late for the closing ceremonies."

"Closing ceremonies already?" Spinel groaned. "Just how long was I asleep? Oh, Eriol will be so cross with me when I return and tell him that I didn't even _see_ this Noboru-sensei I was sent to find."

"Sorry about that, Spinel," Sakura replied. "But at the very least, we were lucky to have you with us. You were an invaluable help in finding the Warp Card, remember?"

"I… do not recall…"

"It's okay. We'll send Eriol-san the video later-"

" _Don't you dare send him that video!_ "

As Spinel moved to argue with her, a school bell rang behind them, and Sakura shoved the two of them back in the camera bag. "A-alright, you two! Let's save the arguments for later! I've gotta get to the closing ceremonies, okay?"

The two guardian beasts struggled as they were shoved into the bag once again and the zipper was closed on them. Kero groaned and sighed, stretching out along the bottom of the bag.

"Well, I guess we're stuck here for the next little while. What a drag. At least we got some excitement for it all."

"...Kerberos…" Spinel began, his voice back to its usual, serious tone, "...may I offer some input on your previous discussion with Stephanos?"

Kero sat up just a little. "Huh? You heard that?"

"I heard enough. Perhaps it is not my place to speak in this matter, since I have no knowledge of Warp Neon or those close to him. But I do know about the principles behind magical tampering with memories."

Kero frowned, though his expression wasn't visible in the darkness of the closed bag. "Look, I don't wanna accuse a person of doin' somethin' without any evidence. But this is Warp Neon we're talkin' about-"

"That is the problem, though. Even Clow Reed was limited in the way he could alter memories. Erasing memories can be done, altering memories is difficult but not impossible, but creating completely new memories is…" Spinel sighed. "The memories that Clow gave to you and Yue only included living creatures who already existed in your brains. To create a memory involving a living being who never existed- even an infant- would take such powerful rearrangement of neurons and synaptic patterns that someone of Clow Reed's caliber would be hard-pressed to do so."

"Yeah, so…?" Kero repeated. "Warp Neon would go to any lengths to manipulate others for his own personal gain-"

Spinel covered his face with one paw. "You're just not getting this, Kerberos. What I'm saying to you is, if you choose to believe that the memories of this _Lian_ person were planted into Stephanos' mind by Warp Neon, that would be an admission that a sorcerer who- by your description- was just a _thorn in Clow's side_ was capable of doing something even Clow Reed would have found nearly impossible."

Kero's shoulders drooped. "...that… I-I mean, that's not what I…" He shook his head. "But what other explanation is there?"

Spinel was quiet, and Kero waited patiently for a reply. The atmosphere between them had turned tense, and while it made Kero uncomfortable, he genuinely wanted to know what Spinel had to say. What was his deal, butting into this situation anyway?

"..." Spinel finally let out a sigh. "All I mean to say is, when you consider the logistics of altering memories, taking _away_ a memory is much more feasible a task than creating a new one. I'm not saying that either you or Stephanos is correct in this. Perhaps both of you had your memories altered. But logically speaking, if one of you is right and one of you is wrong, then the one most likely to have the correct memory is…"

He didn't need to finish his sentence. Kero got the message.


	9. Sakura and the Haunted House

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm a fan writing some fiction. Thank you for all your support, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

* * *

 **9- Sakura and the Haunted House**

Sakura was woken up by a loud barrage of noise.

At first, it was all too tangled together for her to separate out. But there was yelling- she noticed that first- a crash as though something plastic had been thrown against the wall, and the television blasting a fast-paced chiptune victory song.

" _-will never get anywhere in the sequel with cheatin' moves like that!_ " "What about it was cheating? I was merely pressing the buttons as you instructed." " _Nuh-uh, don't play dumb with me! I know you did somethin' weird in there._ " "Weird? I assure you, I did nothing you might construe as weird-"

"Kero-chan. Stephen." Sakura sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes. "What are you two fighting about so early in the morning? How long have you been up?"

Stephen perked up and hopped over to the bed. "Oh, Sakura-sama! My apologies for waking you. We have not slept at all this past night. Kerberos has been showing me how to play his favorite game, Zylon Warriors. I must say, the storyline is quite riveting- I've never been this enthralled by a story, even when reading novels-"

"Yeah, yeah, quit talkin' about the story! I wanna know what you did in that last battle!" Kero flew over, grabbing Stephen by the scruff of his neck and pulling him backwards. "C'mon, let's load our last save file and play it over again!"

"But Kerberos, if we do that, we will have to listen to Lord Polestar's monologue about the Nine Worlds all over again-"

"Aw, don't complain about that! D'ya know how many times I had to listen to that jerk drag on the first time I played this? I was stuck on his boss battle for weeks!"

Sakura groaned and rubbed her temples. "If you guys are going to keep arguing like this, I might as well go ahead and get ready for school. At least I can help Dad cook breakfast today…"

"That's the spirit, Sakura-sama!" Stephen chimed. "Seize the day and make it your own!"

"...I don't want to hear that from someone who's so chipper after pulling an all-nighter."

The frustration in her voice gave Stephen pause. He turned to Kero with a frown.

"What did I say?"

* * *

Sakura finished setting the utensils out, and her father came by with two plates of pancakes, setting them down on opposite sides of the table. "I'll get the syrup!" she chimed and ran back around the counter to grab it while her father sat down.

"Thanks for your help this morning," Fujitaka replied when she returned to her seat and handed him the bottle. "It's nice to see you up so early. You must be getting better at waking up in the mornings."

"Haha, yeah… that's it," Sakura replied, trying to mask her nervous laugh by digging into the pancakes. "Oh wow, this is great! Did you use a different mix this time?"

"Yes, the store had a special on pumpkin-flavor. I suppose it's that time of year, isn't it?"

"Ah, so that's what I taste." Sakura set her fork down and examined the color of the pancakes on her plate. She'd been so fast to drown them in syrup, she hadn't taken the time to get a good look. Her father was quiet, so she looked back up at him and noticed that he was staring at the photo of Nadeshiko he'd put out. It was one of Sakura's favorites, of her mother wearing an autumn-themed dress that stood out against a backdrop of a colorful forest scene.

"All Hallows' Eve," Fujitaka spoke, almost reverently. "The night that spirits can return to the world of the living. I wonder if Nadeshiko will pay us a visit."  
Sakura frowned. "You can see her now, can't you?"

"Yes, but she hasn't appeared recently. A couple years ago when Touya moved out, she told me that you and he had grown up so well, she didn't need to watch over you like she used to. I'm glad to know she's proud of you two, but..."

He was smiling as he said this, but there was a sadness in his eyes that Sakura couldn't miss. "You miss her, don't you?" she asked.

Fujitaka kept that same, sad smile on his face. "Yes, I do. But we can't stop living our lives just because we miss her. That would make her more sad than anything. You're looking forward to Tomoyo-chan's Halloween Party on Sunday, aren't you? Nadeshiko would want you to be excited about it."

"Yeah, that's right." Sakura nodded, and then jumped to her feet. "Hey, you know you're welcome to come to the party too! I'm sure her mom wouldn't mind, and-"

"That's kind of you to invite me, Sakura, but it's really alright." Fujitaka laughed and waved her to sit back down. "My friend Giorgios got tickets to a Halloween gala at the local history museum on Sunday. Several of my coworkers from the university are going with us."

"Oh!" Sakura clapped. "Giorgios- that's the friend you've been having dinner with on Fridays recently, right?"

"That's right. We're having dinner tonight too, so I won't be home. I'm sorry to leave you on your own so much-"

"No, no! I'm so happy that you're having fun with friends!" Sakura sat down and picked her fork up again to resume her breakfast. "You're always working, and you've seemed lonely since Onii-chan moved out, it makes me happy to know you have friends to spend time with now. You deserve it."

Fujitaka laughed again. "Funny, it sounds like you're the parent here."

"Huh? W-well…"

The two finished eating and washed the dishes before gathering their belongings. "You'll be alright for dinner, right?" Fujitaka asked as Sakura was strapping on her skates.

"Of course. We've got plenty of leftover curry in the fridge."

"I may be home late, so don't worry about waiting for me, okay?"

"Got it. Have a good day at work!"

"Have a good day at school!"

As Sakura left, she glanced up at the window where Kero and Stephen usually stood and waved to her. She didn't expect them to be there this time, so it was no surprise when they weren't. Still, she couldn't help thinking about them on her way to school. It seemed like the two were getting along much better since their initial encounter. Kero had initially agreed to let Stephen stay with them to keep an eye on him, but nowadays it seemed like he genuinely enjoyed having a companion to play with there in the house, as opposed to online games with Spinel or video calls with Yue around Yukito's class schedule. It had been almost two months now, and there seemed to be a sense of trust beginning to build between them. Of course, she couldn't say how much was genuine and how much was an act put on for her sake, but it at least _felt_ genuine. Now if only she could get Yue to trust Stephen too…

She arrived at school unusually early, so she didn't expect to find anyone in the classroom save for the ones on morning duty. But when she arrived, there were several students already taking their seats- including a familiar face at the desk behind hers.

"Syaoran-kun!"

He had his face buried in a book, but as soon as he heard Sakura's voice, he perked up. "Sakura! You're early."

"I know, right? Kero-chan and Stephen woke me up with their video games." She laughed and took a seat at her desk, pausing to remove her books from her bag. One everything was organized, she leaned over the seat to look at the book he was reading. "What's that? More of Clow Reed's writings?"

"No, not this." Syaoran shook his head. "I actually stayed up too long studying Clow Reed's work last night. I totally forgot that we're supposed to be off-book for today's drama club rehearsal, so I'm trying to memorize the lines I'm still having trouble with."

There was a tiredness in his eyes, and Sakura felt a pang of sadness at the thought that he might be pushing himself too hard. "Would you like some help?" she offered, holding out one hand. "I can take the book and check the lines while you recite them. That way you can practice without reading, and I can let you know if you mess up."

Syaoran's expression brightened. "Oh, th-thank you. That would be great, actually." He flipped a few pages and handed the book over, pointing to a large block of text. "My lines are pretty short for the most part, but I've got one big monologue here in act one. Would you mind keeping an eye on that for me while I go over it? Stop me in the middle if I skip something or mess up."

"Of course!" Sakura chimed. "Let's see… the line before it is- _no more but so?_ "

Syaoran took a deep breath and began to speak, his calm and collected tone holding a sense of affection that was unusual. Sakura didn't really know what was going on in the scene, but it felt like he was speaking to someone dear to him. " _...Perhaps he loves you now, and now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch the virtue of his will: but you must fear, his greatness weighed, his will is not his own; for he himself is subject to his birth…_ "

Ever since Syaoran had joined the drama club, Sakura had been fascinated by watching him act. He'd come so far from that nervous princess back in fifth grade, so focused on impressing Yukito in the audience that he'd yelled his lines and exaggerated his movements. Now he seemed to become a different person when he got in-character, his shy nature giving way to whatever characteristics needed to shine through in his lines and movements. His facial expressions, his body language, even the look in his eyes took on the nature of the character.

Sakura was so busy watching him, she forgot to pay attention to the script.

" _...and in the morn and liquid dew of youth, contagious blastments are most imminent. Be wary then; best safety lies in fear: youth to itself rebels, when none else near._ ...Sakura? That's it, right? Did I get it all?"

"Huh? Oh!" Sakura snapped back to attention and looked down at the script again. "Uh, I'm sorry, I got totally lost. Where were we…?"

Syaoran took the script back from her and glanced over it. He frowned and sighed in frustration, grabbing a pencil to make another note for himself. " _Though_ , not _when_. Youth to itself rebels _though_ none else near. I wonder what other phrases I messed up."

Sakura blushed. "I'm sorry. I just like watching you act so much, I forgot I was supposed to be checking your lines. You seemed so confident, I just-"

"No, it's okay. At the very least, the audience doesn't know the lines. So if something small gets left out or switched, no one will know. I'll just get chewed out by Izumi-senpai, is all."

"The club president is strict on everyone, huh?"

"Sure is-"

As they spoke, there was a commotion near the doorway of the classroom. A group of students were entering, engaged in a lively chatter with a familiar voice talking over top of them.

"-so then the guy finally makes it to the engine, but finds that, instead of burning coal, the furnace is full of-"

"Aiko-chan, don't spoil it! I told you, I'm going to see it this weekend!"

"Aw, that's no fun. It's still totally scary, even if you know that the murderer is really-"

"No, no, no; I'm not listening!"

Naoko had put her hands over her ears, and Aiko laughed at the sight of it. Tomoyo was following along behind them, the smile on her face suggesting that she'd been enjoying the conversation for a while. She looked over toward her desk once she entered the classroom, however, and waved at Sakura.

"Good morning! You're here early."

"Do you have to point it out every time I'm not racing the bell?" Sakura asked with a forced smile. Tomoyo just giggled and sat down next to her, looking back over at Aiko and Naoko.

"So you like scary movies too, huh, Aiko-chan?"

"I love all kinds of scary stuff! Books, movies, television shows..." Aiko replied. "The scarier the better!"

"Well, if you like scary stuff, then you're going to have the best time at my mom's Halloween party this Sunday. Our theme this year is 'haunted house,' and we've been going all out on the decorating."

Sakura finched. "H-haunted house? You didn't tell me _that_ was going to be the theme!"

"Oh, don't worry, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo reached out and grabbed Sakura's hands to steady her. "It won't be too bad. That's just our decorating motif. All you have to do is remember that it's all fake, okay?"

Sakura could feel herself breaking into a nervous sweat, but gave a smile anyway. "If you say so, I suppose-"

"You know, tales of hauntings go way back!"

The group jumped as Yamazaki appeared in the middle, beaming with the smile he held whenever he had something interesting to say. Sakura felt her stomach churn. "You really don't have to tell us-"

"In fact, the earliest human civilization, found in Mesopotamia, had detailed literature about ghosts. They believed that just seeing or hearing a ghost could cause eye and ear problems, as well as a range of illnesses. The only way to treat said illnesses was to appease the ghost with offerings, food and goods that the ghost would enjoy in the afterlife. Because of this, it was common for people to fear ghosts and do everything in their power to appease the ghosts of their deceased relatives so that-"

"Blah, blah, people have been afraid of ghosts as long as there've been people. We've heard it all before."

Just as suddenly as Yamazaki had appeared, Chiharu appeared beside him to drag him off. Tomoyo and Naoko both gave a friendly wave, and Aiko laughed.

"See that, Sacchan? If you're scared of ghosts, you can just offer them food or trinkets and they'll leave you alone!"

Sakura was still holding tightly onto Syaoran's arm, but she opened her eyes once she realized the statement was addressed to her. "So I'm _Sacchan_ now, huh?" she murmured.

"Try not to worry so much, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo jumped in. "Old myths like that are just that- myths. And parties like mine are just for fun. We'll all be together, remember?"

Sakura let her shoulders relax and took a step back to give Syaoran some space. The look of his red face suggested he needed it.

"That's fine for Sunday night, I guess, but now I'll be thinking about it all day," Sakura groaned, taking a seat back at her desk. "Dad was talking about ghosts at breakfast too. I guess it's just unavoidable this time of year, but still…"

"Um, Sakura," Syaoran began, finally coming out of his embarrassed haze, "your dad is going to be out tonight, right?"

"That's right. With his friend Giorgios."

"Well then, do you…" Syaoran looked down at his feet. "...want to, y'know, have dinner at my place? After clubs, I mean. The drama club is staying late to do a full run-through, but I'm sure the cheerleading club is practicing for the culture festival too, so…"

He was rambling, so Sakura jumped in, her earlier fright having given way to bright happiness. "Oh, thank you so much! I'll be glad to help you cook too."

"That's… that'd be great." A smile graced Syaoran's flushed face, and he promptly sat back down at his desk. "I'll, um, keep studying my lines, then."

Tomoyo giggled and Aiko clicked her tongue. " _Ooh,_ did Sacchan just get propositioned right in front of us?"

"Don't say things like that out loud! A teacher might hear you!" Naoko pushed Aiko, and the two scuffled back towards their seats, dodging Chiharu and Yamazaki who were still bantering back and forth in the middle of the classroom. Sakura looked up at Tomoyo and tilted her head.

"What did Aiko-chan just say…?"

Tomoyo closed her eyes and smiled. "Oh dear, poor Sakura-chan. Perhaps we'll have a talk about it later."

"Uh oh. That's never a good thing."

* * *

Sakura had offered to help cook, but she really ended up just cutting the vegetables while Syaoran prepared the meat. Once everything was ready, Syaoran instructed Sakura to wait in the living room while he stir-fried everything. "There's some books in my bag I'd like you to take a look at," he'd instructed, so she let her curiosity take over and walked over to the couch. When she unhooked his school bag, she found it stuffed full of books. Not sure which ones he was talking about, she pulled them all out one by one to examine them.

The first two were school books, their English workbook and Japanese literature textbook. The next was the script for the drama club's play. Then there were a couple bound packets of printed images of handwritten documents, one in English and another two in Chinese. Finally, only three books remained. They had stickers from the school library on them, so he must've checked them out before he'd left. She pulled them out one by one, examining the titles as she did so.

" _Mysterious Phenomena: Explained… World's Greatest Hoaxes… The Science of Seances…?_ " Sakura turned around toward the kitchen again. "Syaoran, what are these for?"

Syaoran poked his head through the doorframe. "I thought they might be good for us to read together. It's a lot of stuff about monsters and the like, but there's some things about ghosts too."

"About how they're not real?" Sakura frowned and looked at the book in her hands. "But don't you know about ghosts? You've learned exorcism techniques, and-"

"We can talk about it over dinner. Here, this won't take much longer. Come help set the table, okay?"

"Okay!"

The books remained on the couch while the two ate dinner, Sakura preparing the table and drinks, and Syaoran serving up the stir fry that he'd been working on. She made a joking comment about how they were a "perfectly domestic pair," and his face turned so red that she worried there might be something wrong with him. But it was just a normal blush- and it was so familiar, it made her blush with a familiar happiness too. Even when they were both quiet, focusing on preparations and eating, there was a comfortable familiarity to it that brought a sense of fun to even mundane tasks. It felt good. It felt like _them_.

"So, um, what's up about these books?" Sakura finally asked as they finished up. "You said you wanted me to look at them?"

"Yeah. I asked Yamazaki about the best books to explain the science behind ghost and monster sightings. So much of what we see in movies and television shows is fictional, and then the ideas get planted in people's brains and the power of suggestion comes through in people's experiences." Syaoran finished his food and pushed his plate away from him. "And the fear element that's popular in the horror genre comes through too. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I want to help with your fear of ghosts. But I'm not good with, like, feelings and stuff. So facts and logic is the best I can do."

"Syaoran…" Sakura gasped in a whisper. "...Syaoran, I love your facts and logic. You're the one who grounds me when I'm too excited or scared. If you have an idea that you think will help me with my fear of ghosts… I'd trust you better than I'd trust anyone else."

The room went quiet. Syaoran stood up, pushed his chair back, and ran into the living room. He reappeared with a book in his hands, the one with a green cover that read ' _Mysterious Phenomena: Explained_.' With a decisive nod, he set it on the table facing Sakura and opened it up to a chapter that was titled 'Spirits and Specters.'

"I'm only in the beginning and end of the play, so I read this chapter backstage during practice. It's got a lot of good stuff about ghosts- dust particles creating the so-called _orbs_ that people catch on camera, the psychology behind humans' tendency to pick out speech from background noise, effects of infrasound on mental states and the potential for hallucinations-"

As he spoke, Sakura leaned over and picked up the book, flipping through it. " _Sometimes even simple chemistry can cause paranormal experiences. Poisonous carbon monoxide gas can induce hallucinations in its victims, burning methane from decaying swamp material creates disorienting will-o'-the-wisps, and positive ions from natural processes can even give false readings for suggestible ghost-hunters.'_ Fascinating!"

"This chapter is about ghosts, but there are also chapters about mysterious creatures like bigfoot, Bermuda triangle style disappearances, and even the claim that aliens built things like the pyramids and Stonehenge." Syaoran stood up again and walked around to stand behind Sakura. He leaned against her chair looked down at the pages of the book.

"Dad would love to read that chapter," Sakura commented, flipping back to the table of contents so that she could find it. "He always has a mouthful to say whenever people on TV say anything about archeology and aliens."

"So I take it he's not in the aliens-built-the-pyramids camp?"

Sakura laughed. "In our house, you're not even allowed to say the words _pyramid_ and _alien_ in the same sentence."

"I've heard some people say that Chinese dragon myths are descriptions of ancient alien technology." Syaoran sighed and rested his head in one hand. "All I hear from those people is, 'I know nothing about dragons and I've _definitely_ never seen one in real life."

The two laughed again, both in unison. Their laughs were so different, Syaoran's more of a reserved chuckle held back behind a closed smile and Sakura's an open-mouthed giggle with an enthusiasm that the hand over her mouth couldn't even cover. But when they laughed together, it became something even more. It was an act of love, like holding hands or cuddling next to each other. Something in it allowed them to reach out and connect with the other, not a physical connection, but a connection all the same.

Syaoran felt his heart skip a beat and his face begin to heat up again. He tried to stave it off and cleared his throat, steeling himself to bring up something he'd been meaning to ask.

"Um, Sakura…"

"Hm?" She looked up from the book. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking about… well…" Syaoran's grip on the back of the chair tightened. "...about a few weeks ago, when you captured the Heat card, and… um…"

"Yes?"

There was a long pause. Sakura turned around in the chair so that she could stare directly at him. The sudden focus on him sent him reeling backwards, and he struggled to catch his balance.

"Well, um- I was just, uh… um…" Syaoran put his hands up as though he could physically defend himself from the nervousness he was feeling. "...well, it's just that, uh, I had a conversation with Stephanos, and, um… well, I guess I want to talk to him again sometime, just the two of us. But it's not important right now. I just thought I'd mention it before I forgot."

"Oh. Okay." Sakura was quiet, waiting a moment for something else, but once she saw that he wasn't going to continue, she spoke up again. "Why were you so nervous about asking that? It's not a bad thing to talk with Stephen, even if you don't necessarily trust him."

Syaoran sighed and walked back over to the table, picking up the empty plates from his and Sakura's places. Being cut off from what he really wanted to say had cleared his head, and he could speak on the matter at hand. "No, I suppose not. While I wouldn't trust him with my safety and the safety of people I love, I don't think he bears us any ill will. I think he has truly good intentions, but the depth of his emotions and the way that he allows those feelings to cloud his judgment is something to be wary of. That's the impression that I've gotten from him anyway."

"You're very observant." Sakura stood up and placed the book on the table so that she could collect the silverware and cups. "I've always thought he was genuine, but at the same time I didn't want to discourage those who were suspicious. I could tell something was off, but I didn't know what and couldn't reconcile it with my trust in him. Hearing what you just said, it made me realize that's what's been missing. I think you're right."

Syaoran accepted the cutlery and cups, and began washing them alongside the plates. "Don't tell him I said that. It's better if he and I talk in person about it."

"Right. I won't." Sakura nodded and then playfully nudged Syaoran's arm. "Was it really that hard to ask to talk with him?"

"H-huh? Oh! Uh… I suppose it shouldn't have been… but, uh…" He focused harder on scrubbing the plates. "It's getting late, isn't it? Let's read some together before you go."

* * *

"Huh? We're leavin' for the party already?"

Kero was still glued to the video game console, even on Sunday afternoon, long after he and Steven had finished their playthrough. He said he just needed to figure out what technique Stephen had used, but so far he seemed unsuccessful. And when Sakura tried to pull him away, he made a show of protesting.

"It's already four-thirty and the party starts at five. If you're going to come with us, we need to leave."

Kero pouted. "So where's your costume? It's a costume party, right?"

"Tomoyo-chan made one for me," Sakura replied. "She made mine, hers, and even one for Syaoran too."

Stephen had been resting on the desk, reading out of one of the books he'd picked out at the library. He closed the book and hopped over to rest on her shoulder. "What kind of costume has she made for you, Sakura-sama?"

"I'm not sure. She said that she was going for a more classic Halloween type costume this year- last year her party's theme was _masquerade_ , and she made me this huge, frilly rococo-style dress."

Stephen clasped his paws together. "Ahh, the rococo period. Truly the pinnacle of baroque style. Might you have some photographs of last year's party?"

"I'm sure Tomoyo's got tons of 'em." Kero flew over and settled on Sakura's other shoulder. "All ya gotta do is ask, and she'll show 'em off on her big-screen TV."

Sakura finished gathering her things and left her bedroom, turning the light off and closing the door behind her. "You can do that sometime later. This party is going to have a lot of people, including Tomoyo's mother's coworkers and business partners. We'll give you guys your own room and bring you some treats, but you'll need to stay quiet."

Kero groaned, pressing himself against Sakura's cheek. "So we don't get to play the games?"

"You can play the games at the end of the night, when everyone else has left."

As she made her way down the staircase, Stephen scampered down her arm and settled in the pocket of her cardigan. "What games will there by, Sakura-sama?"

"Games? Well…" Sakura paused and thought about it. "Well, usually there's a jack o lantern carving contest and a costume contest… fortune-telling and bobbing for apples… a haunted garden tour… you know, Halloween sorts of things."

"Back when Chioni was alive, there was a tradition that on Hallowe'en night, a girl might bestow her and her sweetheart's name onto two chestnuts and roast them by a fire. It was said that, should the two burn quietly and ardently together, it signified a happy life for the couple." Stephen snuggled into Sakura's pocket, making himself comfortable. "Chioni has just begun seeing Xiaohe around that time of the year, so she secretly performed the chestnut ritual. I must confess, at the time I secretly hoped that Xiaohe's chestnut would pop and jump away, signifying an unfaithful lover. But the two burned quietly together, and Chioni was so happy, I could not help but share in her joy."

Sakura smiled down at him. "Tomoyo-chan says that the greatest happiness is seeing the person you love happy. And that even if they don't return your feelings, being able to be by their side and experience their happiness can provide its own joy."

"Tomoyo-sama speaks wisdom, as usual."

Sakura didn't expound on the description, and neither Kero nor Stephen pressed her for more. When she left the house, the two jumped into her purse and settled in for the bus ride, but Stephen was still considering it.

" _Kerberos,"_ he whispered after a few minutes had passed and Sakura was sitting at the bus stop, distracted. "The person that Tomoyo-sama loves, who does not return her affections… that is…?"

Kero sighed. "Who d'ya think?" he whispered back.

"Well, there is only one person it could be."

"Obviously."

Another pause followed. "So, ah," Stephen began again, "is Sakura-sama aware of this?"

"I'm pretty sure she is. She can't be that oblivious." Kero shrugged his shoulders, still able to see Stephen in the dim light and sure Stephen could see him. "And she really does love Tomoyo, just not the same way she loves the kid. Sakura has so much love to give, and she's so devoted to Tomoyo, I think… I think Tomoyo is satisfied. So you don't need to feel sorry for her or anything."

"I understand. Thank you, Kerberos, for your insight. It is lucky that Tomoyo-sama and Li Syaoran-sama are not separated by an ideological rift that would require Sakura-sama to choose between them." Stephen relaxed and settled in, snuggling up next to Sakura's handkerchief. "I hope that Sakura-sama is able to stay with Tomoyo and Li Syaoran forever."

Kero nodded in agreement, but he eyed Stephen and muttered under his breath " _then you'd better not get in the way of that._ "

The bus was right on time, and Sakura arrived at Tomoyo's house with time to spare. The gate was open and one of the Daidouji's bodyguards showed her in, leading the way to Tomoyo's room. Her door was closed, so the guard knocked. A moment of silence followed before Tomoyo's voice chimed " _come in!_ " through the door and the bodyguard opened it for Sakura.

Tomoyo was dressed up already, her costume an elegant bat-themed getup. The orange dress had a tight-fitting bodice and a full hoop skirt, the black designs along the neckline, waist, and folds of the skirt shaped into little bat wings. Even her hair was pulled up with a black bat-shaped clip, and the elegance with which she moved only made the effect of the costume more appealing. Sakura's eyes lit up as she took in the sight.

"Oh, Tomoyo-chan, you look _gorgeous_!"

Tomoyo giggled in delight and twirled around. "I'm so happy with how it turned out. But Sakura-chan is the one who will look truly gorgeous. Come on, let me show you your costume!"

Tomoyo's enthusiasm was almost strong enough to knock Sakura over, and she reached for her bag to let Kero and Stephen out. The two tumbled out and bounded toward Tomoyo, waving in greeting.

"Tomoyo-sama, you're such a talented seamstress! I wish to see Sakura-sama's costume posthaste!"

"Forget the costumes! I wanna see those snacks ya promised us!"

Tomoyo laughed, reaching up to let the two creatures perch on her hands. "Don't you two worry. I'll get your snacks and Sakura-chan's costume. Just be patient a little longer-"

As she finished her sentence, a voice came from behind her closet door. " _Hey, who's out there? Is Sakura here yet?_ "

"Oh! Syaoran!" Sakura's face lit up. "I didn't know you were already here! Are you changing into your costume? I want to see it."

"Yes, please!" Tomoyo chimed. "What's taking so long? Is there a problem with the fit?"

" _No, it's not that! It's just… this is embarrassing! There's no way I'm wearing this in front of everyone!_ "

Sakura pressed closer to the door. "What's so embarrassing about it? Let me see-"

" _No way! I'm taking it back off!_ "

"Just show her already," Tomoyo replied, throwing the door open. Sakura jumped back, but she was able to look up and see Syaoran inside the walk-in closet, in the process of taking off his gloves. His cheeks turned red as his eyes met hers, and he threw his hands in front of his face.

"I-I'm really not the type to wear costumes like this…" he began, reaching to take off the headband. "I appreciate all the work that Tomoyo-san put into this. I'm sure all this faux fur was difficult to work with, and these ears are very well made. But it's-"

" _I_ think it's delightful!" Stephen broke in, scampering up Sakura's arm to her shoulder. "Place the ears and gloves back on, and you'll look like a proper werewolf. Truly fitting for a Hallowe'en party held on a full moon."

Sakura closed her eyes and offered a smile. "Stephen is right. It really does look good on you. I think you should wear it."

"I… well…" Syaoran clasped his gloves close to his chest and turned his back to them. "...if you say so, then I suppose I could wear it. It's a costume party, after all."

Sakura and Stephen looked at each other and laughed. "It would seem his opinion is easily swayed by a request from his beloved," Stephen commented. Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but Tomoyo appeared behind her, carrying a bundle of clothing in her arms.

"Sakura-chan, I have your costume here."

"Oh!" Sakura gasped and ran to meet Tomoyo. She reached out and placed her hand on the soft fabric. "It feels so nice."

"Last year you looked wonderful, but your movement was restricted and you weren't particularly comfortable. I wanted to create something more comfortable and easy to move in, so I took inspiration from some previous battle costumes. It's light, breathable, and still manages to pull off a traditional Halloween witch vibe. Here- I've even got a hat for you!"

It didn't take long for Sakura to change into the costume, swapping places with Syaoran so that she could use the closet. When she emerged, she was met by applause from Tomoyo and the two guardian beasts, and it made her blush.

"I love it, but you guys getting all worked up like that is embarrassing me."

"That's fine. Sakura-chan's blushing face is lovely too."

"T-Tomoyo-chan!"

As Sakura covered her face and Syaoran and Stephen both moved to get in the way of Tomoyo's camera, there was a brief knock on the door. It was just a warning knock; there was no time to answer before Sonomi peeked in burst in.

"Oh, Sakura-chan is here~!" Kero and Stephen dashed behind Tomoyo's back as Sonomi bounded across the room and clasped Sakura's hands in hers. "I saw your brother outside and asked about you, and he said you must be with Tomoyo. That costume is so adorable on you!"

"Th-thank you…" Sakura stammered. "But it _was_ Tomoyo-chan who made it-"

"I was inspired by Sakura-chan's natural cuteness, of course." Tomoyo chimed in.

"I have some friends who are dying to meet you, Sakura-chan," Sonomi continued, nodding her head. "Please, come outside and have some snacks."

Tomoyo clicked her camera off and put it away. "Give us just a moment, Mother. I want to touch up Sakura-chan's makeup first, and we'll come right out. In the meantime, take Syaoran-kun with you. His father is the head a large company too; he'll fit right in with your business crowd."

"Wait, wha-?" Syaoran began to protest, but Sonomi happily grabbed his arm and dragged him along with her. Sakura and Tomoyo waited until she had disappeared, and then stepped forward to give Kero and Stephen some space.

Kero climbed up onto Tomoyo's shoulder, covering his mouth as he giggled. "Really gonna throw the kid under the bus like that, huh?"

"Syaoran-kun can easily hold his own among high ranking businesspeople. And I really do want to give Sakura-chan some extra makeup."

"Your mother is a beautiful woman," Stephen commented. "I can see now where you get your confidence and strong will."

"Trying to suck up for extra treats, are you?" Tomoyo sent him a playful wink, and Stephen jumped back as though she'd struck him.

"What? If I gave you any indications of an ulterior motive, I swear it was a mistake. I said what I did only because I genuinely believed it, and did not seek to offend you in any way-"

Kero shoved him from behind. "Chill out, buddy! She was just joshin' ya!"

"But, even so, I do not wish for her to even think that I-"

"We know you mean well, Stephen." Tomoyo smiled and patted his head. "Thank you for the compliment. It means a lot. Now, Sakura-chan! Let's go do your face paint!"

"F-face paint?" Sakura stammered as Tomoyo pulled her toward the vanity. "You said makeup, not face paint-!"

Kero and Stephen watched them for a moment before Kero finally sighed and nudged Stephen. "Hey, don't be so on-edge. What's gotten into you?"

"My apologies, Kerberos," Stephen replied with a shake of his head. "I am not sure what it is, but I have an uneasy feeling. Perhaps it is simply the presence of so many unfamiliar people in this small area."

"Well, I know something that'll definitely cheer you up." Kero floated over to Tomoyo's desk where a package was sitting, marked with a sticky note that read 'Kero-chan.' "You see, Tomoyo's mom has an in with the gaming company that produced Zylon Warriors, so she's received an early release copy of-" He tore into the package and held up the game for Stephen to see. "-Zylon Warriors 2: The Millenium Redemption!"

Stephen's expression changed in an instant, his eyes sparkling in disbelief. "I was not aware that the sequel was so close to being released! What a joy! Can we play it immediately?"

"Duh! That's what we're here for. Tomoyo said she'd lend us the gaming system that's hooked up to her bedroom theater."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

The two rushed over to Tomoyo's media room, waving to the two girls as they passed. "Just bring the snacks in here, okay?" Kero called, and Tomoyo nodded in agreement.

"Great," Sakura groaned. "Now they've got another game to binge all night long. I'm going to have to start using the Sleep card, or I'll never get any rest. I hope Sleep is prepared…"

* * *

The party was held in the main entrance hall of the Daidoujis' house, lavishly outfitted with Halloween-themed decor and filled to the brim with games and food of all kinds. Sakura and Tomoyo caught up with Sonomi, who wasted no time in showing off Sakura to her friends and business partners. Finally, Sonomi realized she was taking up Tomoyo and Sakura's time to be with friends, and apologetically sent the girls off to find their classmates. Syaoran had long since snuck away from Sonomi's circle, and the girls found him enraptured by one of Yamazaki's famous tales. Chiharu had been yelling at him, but she stopped to greet Sakura and Tomoyo, and that offered him a respite to begin again.

"The practice of bobbing for apples actually has its origins in England, where apples were used to foretell the future of love affairs," Yamazaki continued, unfazed. "It was said that, should a young man successfully retrieve an apple from the tub using only his teeth, that he would be successful in his love affair."

Naoko raised her hand. "Question! If a girl wants to know the outcome of her relationship with the person she likes, can she try to catch an apple too?"

Yamazaki thought it over for a moment. "I suppose it would be archaic and sexist to say that a woman couldn't. Surely gender doesn't matter when measuring the determination you have to express your feelings. But women on Halloween used to use chestnuts to tell their love fortunes instead-"

Sakura gasped and jumped in. "I know this one! They named the chestnuts for themselves and their lover, and roasted the chestnuts over a fire. If the chestnuts burned peacefully together, they'd have a happy life, but if one popped or cracked, it was a bad omen!"

The whole group turned to look at Sakura, eyes wide in surprise, and then looked back at Yamazaki to see how he would react. He didn't miss a beat, running over to Sakura and shaking her hand wildly.

"You've truly researched the essence of Halloween, Sakura-chan! I'm so proud!"

"H-huh…?"

"Where did you learn so much? The library? The internet? What else do you know about early Halloween practices?"

Sakura pulled away, both nervous and physically repelled by his enthusiasm. "Er, it's not like I looked it up on purpose. I just kinda _heard_ it."

"Just heard it?" Chiharu murmured. "Who in the world would you hear it from?"

Sakura froze and sent a panicked look over at Syaoran, who seemed to catch the idea. How could she tell them she'd been talking with someone who'd been around for Halloween practices over a century ago? They'd think she was crazy! Her mind raced with potential excuses, but Yamazaki broke in before she could settle on one.

"Oh yeah, her dad's an archeologist. I'm sure he talks about old traditions all the time."

"Y-yes, that's right!" Sakura nodded furiously. "I learn a lot from my dad!"

"Where is your father tonight?" Rika asked. "Is he here at the party?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. I invited him, but he was going to another party with some friends of his. He and Tomoyo-chan's mother don't really see eye-to-eye, so it's probably for the best."

"They don't?" Chiharu asked with a frown. Sakura could feel the atmosphere growing tense, and tried quickly to shake it off.

"Hey, now, let's not worry about that! There are all kinds of games to try! Naoko-chan, you wanted to do the apple game, right?"

"Huh? Oh, I-!" Naoko's face flushed a little and she turned away. "I was just asking out of principle, but if you'd like to try, then surely it wouldn't hurt."

"I think it'll be fun!" Tomoyo said, pointing in the direction of the game setup. "Let's all go try it!"

Yamazaki led the way, talking over his shoulder as he did. "And afterward, we can try an old Halloween divination technique! They say that if you can peel an apple in one long string like a daikon, then you can toss the peel over your shoulder and it will fall into the shape of your fated lover's first initial."

"I suppose that's fine for people in English, but what about in Japanese?" Aiko asked. "If it falls into a shape like this-" She drew a "J" shape in the air with her finger. "-should we interpret it as the latin letter _J_ , or the kana for _shi_? And what about letters and kana that are drawn with multiple strokes? Or kana with a ten-ten or maru…"

Sakura was so wrapped up in listening to the conversation, she wasn't paying attention to the crowd around her. Many of them were adults, friends and coworkers of Sonomi, so she didn't know them anyway. But a familiar voice broke through the commotion, yelling Sakura's name so loudly that she couldn't miss it.

" _Sakura-chan!_ "

Sakura turned around and nearly fell over in surprise.

" _Ack!_ Wh-what the-?!"

Ruby Moon tackled Sakura in a hug, ignoring her surprise. "Oh, Sakura-chan, your costume is so cute! It's stylish and sporty at the same time- it suits you perfectly!"

"Y-your… your costume is…"

Aiko drew close, forgetting her earlier conversation with Yamazaki. "Whoa, lady! Your costume is, like, crazy good! Those wings look totally real!"

Ruby straightened up and looked over at Aiko. "What a sweetheart! You're so precious! And your costume- Morticia Addams, right?"

Aiko put on a dark smile and struck a brooding pose. "Why, of course. I'm a pair with- oh, goddammit, where the hell is my Gomez? _Hicchan_!"

" _Aicchan, help! I lost my fake moustache in the apple tub!_ "

"Aw, come on!" Aiko groaned, following the group back over the games. "You've gotta be kiddin' me!"

Ruby giggled, watching her run off. "Oh, Sakura-chan, your friends are just adorable. Have you seen your brother or Yukito? I heard they were here, but I haven't seen them around." She leaned over and whispered so that only the two of them could hear. "I _should_ be able to sense Yue, but for some reason, I just can't pick him out. Has his ability to mask his presence in his hidden form grown stronger?"

Sakura shook her head. "Not that I'm aware, but I'll ask. Perhaps it's the effect of the full moon. Onii-chan said he wanted to come to the party in case anything strange happened, but…"

"Sakura-chan?"

It was Rika's voice. Sakura and Ruby turned away from each other to face her, and she reached out a hand.

"Aren't you going to come play the game with us, Sakura-chan? Your friend here can come too. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, Miss. You're-?"

Ruby stretched out her arms and spun around. "By day, I am Akizuki Nakuru. But in this form, you may call me Ruby Moon!"

"Wow! That's a wonderful costume, Akizu- er, Ruby Moon-san. Where did you get it? Or, did you make it?"

Ruby stepped in next to Rika and the two began walking over the apple tub together. "Actually, my relative Eriol made it for me," she replied. "The hair, the makeup, the dress, even the wings- it's all Eriol's handiwork. Isn't he the best?"

Rika gasped. "Hiiragizawa Eriol, you mean? He's an old friend of mine from grade school! I didn't know you two were relatives."

"Eriol _did_ hang out with Sakura-chan's posse at Tomoeda elementary, didn't he? So you've been friends with Sakura-chan for a long time. Thanks for always taking care of her!"

"Oh, of course…"

Sakura followed them, but she did so at a distance. What Ruby Moon had said about Yue was bothering her, and she couldn't help thinking about it. Tomoyo's mother had said she'd seen Touya, so Sakura knew he must be here. And Yue would never have let Touya come alone, considering he couldn't sense the Warp Cards' magic on his own. If Yukito was here, she _should_ be able to sense Yue's presence- even if it was subdued by the presence of so many other people. Why, then, couldn't she?

Finally, Sakura made it over to the apple tub where Tomoyo was filming her friends as they played the game. It was a large metal tub, and Yamazaki, Naoko, and Syaoran were all trying it at the same time. Chiharu was on the sidelines, cheering on Yamazaki, and Aiko was working with Kanda to get his fake moustache back on the right way.

"Sakura-chan! Come cheer on Li-kun!" Chiharu called, and Sakura ran over in their direction.

Naoko pulled her head up, gasping for breath. "Agh, this is harder than I thought. The apples move away so quickly when you try to grab them."

Syaoran's head popped up too, one of the apples held firmly in his teeth. He reached up to grab it and held it up for others to see. "The trick is to wedge it against the side of the tub so that it has fewer directions it can move in. Then you can get a decent grip on it using your teeth and pull it up."

Sakura clapped and Tomoyo focused the camera on him. "Oh, I didn't quite get that shot! Can you do it again?"

"What? No way! Everyone else needs to have a chance-"

"Aww, don't be like that, Li-kun." Aiko chimed. "Get an apple for Hicchan too. He's still trying to fix his stupid moustache."

"Why am _I_ the one who has to get apples for everyone?"

Yamazaki looked up and smiled. "Don't worry, Kanda-kun. I'll get you an apple!"

Chiharu scoffed. "You'll have to get one for yourself first."

Yamazaki was about to make some kind of response, but he was cut off by the sound of a shrill scream from behind him. The conversation between Rika and Ruby Moon had been abruptly interrupted when the two were greeted by another group and Ruby tackled one of them.

" _Touya-!_ Oh, I'm so glad I found you! I've been looking aaaaall over for you-!"

"Ow! Get off of me, will ya? What's with that costume you're wearing? That hot pink hurts my eyes…"

Sakura's friends had all looked over at the group, and they smiled as they recognized a few familiar faces.

"Hiiragizawa-kun!" Yamazaki waved. "We've been wondering where you were! Get over here and play with us! You know the story behind bobbing for apples, don't you?"

"I do, in fact," Eriol answered, approaching the apple tub but not making any effort to bend down. "However, I'm not in need of any good luck with matters of the heart, so I'll pass."

"What? You already have a girlfriend, Eriol-kun?" Naoko gasped. "Or, uh, a boyfriend-"

"A girlfriend, yes. I suppose you could call her that." Eriol smiled and leaned down to help her to her feet. "I met her when I lived in England, before I transferred to Tomoeda elementary, so we've been together for a long time." He met Sakura's curious gaze and winked at her as he continued speaking to the others. "I'm sorry that I haven't kept in touch as much recently. I heard all about your class' big win at the sports festival earlier this month…"

Sakura turned her attention over to where Ruby was still fawning over Touya while Yukito watched with an amused grin.

"-but I really do like your costume! It's so very _you_!"

Sakura leaned over to get a better look at what Touya was wearing. It just looked like a tee shirt and jeans. "Huh? Is that supposed to be a costume?"

"Duh. Read what it says."

Touya pushed Ruby off of his chest and tugged his jacket open so that Sakura could read the writing. It was in English, so she struggled to work through it, but she was able to get a few words in.

" _...this is… my… c… co… cosu…_ "

Syaoran stepped in beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. " _This is my costume_ ," he translated. "With italics to put emphasis on the word _is_ , as though a response to the question 'where is your costume?"

Ruby giggled. "And you, Yukito-! Your Frankenstein makeup looks great!"

"It's, uh, just supposed to be a generic zombie look… but thanks." Yukito stepped in between Ruby and Touya to give Touya some much-needed space.

Touya grabbed the side of his head and groaned. "I need a breather. I'm gonna go get some fresh air."

Ruby Moon latched onto his arm. "I'll come with you!"

"Buzz off, will you? You're the one I need a break _from_!"

Yukito stepped in again, separating Ruby from Touya. "We'll be back, don't worry. Touya just needs a moment to get away from all the loud noises."

Ruby pouted, but a look from Eriol kept her from protesting any further. Touya waved to Sakura and her friends.

"See you later. Don't have too much fun without me."

" _Onii-chan_!"

* * *

Touya and Yukito found a quiet place in one of the hallways, illuminated by a skylight overhead. Touya leaned against the wall and sighed.

"When Sakura said that Tomoyo-chan was having a party, I thought it was just going to be a little get-together with her friends. Not this huge… mess."

"Sorry about that," Yukito replied, though he was doing a poor job of holding back his amused laughter. "I know this really isn't your scene, but the fact that you came so that you could watch over Sakura-chan's sake is admirable."

"I just can't help being frightened for her." Touya sighed and crossed his hands behind his head as he leaned back. "After what happened at the farm, I've been thinking over and over about what I could have done differently. I can't help but think that, if I'd have done something more to help her, she wouldn't have been put in so much danger and that teacher wouldn't have gotten the card."

Yukito reached out and put a hand on Touya's arm. "I can tell you've been upset over it. I have too- and the other me has been angry that he didn't realize the danger the card posed. He also knows what Li-kun is capable of, and the fact that even _he_ wasn't able to protect Sakura worries him more than anything. But you know that she was able to capture the card at her sports festival. So it may have been just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time-"

"But even so-!" Touya stepped away from the wall so that he could face Yukito. "I can't be satisfied knowing that my sister is only one wrong-place-wrong-time away from being seriously hurt or worse! I may not be able to help her magically anymore, but I can't let that stop me from doing everything that I _can_ do."

There was a pause, and Yukito frowned. "...do you regret-"

" _No,_ no I don't. I don't need to reiterate that. You know I don't."

"But…"

Touya slammed his hand on the wall next to Yukito's shoulder. "Now, look. Even knowing everything that would happen in the future, I would've done the same thing. There's no need to bring the past into it when we're thinking about the future. Alright?"

"Y...yes…" Yukito looked down at the floor. "The other me is saying the same thing. There's no point in worrying about what-ifs. What matters is what we're doing now."

The two were quiet again, this time enjoying the silence. Yukito looked up, admiring the view of the moon that the skylight above them offered. Touya noticed and looked up as well, examining the seas and craters on its surface.

"Would it be a stupid cliche to talk about the moon?" Touya finally asked.

"No, I wouldn't say that. Cliche, maybe, but not a stupid one."

Touya laughed. "This coming from the guy who literally draws his power from the moon."

He expected a laugh in reply, but Yukito was quiet. A moment passed, and Yukito held up his hand, staring at it as though he were looking for something. Touya nudged him, and he looked back over.

"Ah, sorry! I just… I was just thinking about the other me."

"What about him?"

"Well, he's usually at his strongest during the full moon. The day after a full moon, I'm always so full of energy, I don't know what to do with it all. Or, I used to be. But lately, I… I just haven't. It's not that I'm tired or don't have energy at all, it's just…"

"You're not bouncing off the walls," Touya finished. "Yeah, I'd noticed. I figured it was because you were tossing and turning in your sleep."

"I was?" Yukito looked up. "I'm sorry! Have I been bothering you-?"

"No, no, not every night." Touya waved a hand. "Just during the past few full moons. I brushed it off, figuring it was just part of your usual restless behavior. The energy you get from the full moon keeps you from sleeping soundly, and then you're not as well-rested the next morning. It makes sense."

"Yeah, but…" Yukito stopped and looked back up at the skylight, watching as a few small clouds passed over the fringes of the moon. "...it's not just that I'm sleeping poorly. I wake up with memories of weird dreams- dreams involving the other me. It started around the time that Sakura-chan says the Warp Cards were released, so it must be connected somehow. But when I asked the other me, he said he didn't know."

"Did he try to offer an explanation?" Touya asked. "Or was he just determined to be unhelpful?"

"Well, his guess was that because his powers grow stronger at night and with the full moon, his influence over me as his temporary form is greater during that time. The worries that he holds as Sakura-chan's guardian must be manifesting itself in my subconscious mind. That's why my dreams have been troubled. But he couldn't give an explanation as to why his magic isn't stronger the way it used to during a full moon."

Touya shrugged. "Isn't it just because your physical body is tired from a poor night's sleep?"

"No, it's not. He doesn't need to sleep. If it were just _me_ , then Yue's magic wouldn't be affected. But it _is_ , and he doesn't know why either."

There was a look of desperation in Yukito's eyes as he said this, and Touya felt his chest tighten. He hated seeing that look on Yuki's face, and would do anything to change it. But this wasn't a silly worry he could kiss and make better. This was real.

"That was around the same time I started seeing through his eyes too. It had never happened before we helped Sakura-chan capture the card at our apartment. There _must_ be something going on with the other me, something related to the Warp Cards. What if his power is disappearing again?"

"If that were the case, then _you'd_ be disappearing too. And that's definitely not happening. If anything, you're the one who's growing stronger, to remain conscious when he's in his true form."

Yukito looked down at his hands. "Me growing stronger, huh? But if the balance between this form and my true form is altered, who knows what will happen…?"

Touya was going to break in with further reassurances, but he didn't get the chance to before the sound of footsteps nearby caught his attention. He struck a defensive pose, but held it for only a second until he realized who it was. A group of high-schoolers from Sakura's class came into view through the darkness, and they waved as they noticed the two men further down.

"Oh, hey! We're totally lost, you guys. Could you show us where the home theater is? There's supposed to be a non-stop horror movie marathon playing, and we've totally gotta get in on that."

Touya took a step back, and Yukito could see the hesitance in his eyes, so he took over. "Yes, I know where that is. I can take you there, if you like."

"Would you? That'd be totally rad! I love your zombie makeup, by the way."

"Thanks! Your suit is pretty cool too. Though, uh, I think your moustache is starting to fall off…"

Kanda slapped a hand over his face, and Aiko and Yamazaki both laughed at him. He began to protest, something about the glue having washed off in the apple tub, but Yukito wasn't paying attention. He turned back to Touya and waved.

"I'll take them to the theater, and then I'll meet you back here, alright?"

"Sure. Sounds good."

With a wave, Yukito began leading the students on further down the hall. Touya watched them as their shadows moved down the hallway and were swallowed up again once they left the illumination of the skylight. As soon as they did so, it was as though the group had been completely swallowed up by the dark. Even their footsteps seemed to disappear.

But that was probably just his imagination.

* * *

Sakura had managed to drag Syaoran out onto the dance floor, much to Tomoyo's excitement. She kept her video camera trained on them the whole time, offering a thumbs-up when Syaoran glared at her. For all his embarrassment, however, he actually seemed to be getting into the music, and with gloves on, he didn't have nearly as much embarrassment with holding Sakura's hands. The two were enjoying themselves so much, they weren't really paying attention to the buzz of conversations around them. Not, of course, until Sakura heard someone calling her name.

She and Syaoran both stopped and pushed their way through the crowd over to the refreshments table where Sonomi was standing. Tomoyo had already joined her, and she was looking back and forth between her and Sakura.

"I'm so sorry to call you away from your fun, but I was wondering if you'd seen my friend Takagi. I was going to show her something in the garden and told her to meet me there, but when I got out there, it was empty."

Sakura and Syaoran glanced at each other, unsure of whether to be suspicious or not. It wouldn't be surprising that someone could get lost in the Daidouji's house, but they didn't want to rule out the potential for a Warp Card causing havoc.

"What was she wearing?" Sakura asked.

"It was an ice fairy costume- like, with wire frame wings and a tutu kind of skirt," Sonomi answered. "Tomoyo knows what she looks like."

"I remember seeing her a little while ago while we were playing the fishing game," Tomoyo answered, "but I haven't seen her since then."

"I haven't seen her either." Sakura shook her head, and Syaoran did the same.

"Me neither."

Sonomi sighed. "Well, if you could just keep an eye out for her, that'd be great."

"Sure! We'll be happy to!"

They waited until Sonomi had disappeared back into the crowd, and then the three of them looked at one another.

"Tomoyo-chan," Sakura began hesitantly, "is it possible that Takagi-san just got lost in the house?"

Tomoyo thought it over for a moment. "It is, but Takagi-neechan has been here plenty of times before. I can't imagine that she'd get lost just going down the hall and out to the garden."

"Maybe your mother just missed her," Syaoran suggested. "Or maybe she made a detour on the way. We could go out to the garden and see if she's there."

Sakura nodded. "I'd like to, just to be sure that nothing weird is going on. With all these people here, I don't know if I could sense a Warp Card even if one was here."

"Then let's go sort this out so that can enjoy the rest of the party!" Tomoyo held up her camera and motioned for the others to follow her. "I'll lead the way."

As they walked by the apple tub, they planned to stop by and speak with their friends. But they weren't there, and while they were just going to pass by assuming that the group had gone somewhere else, Chiharu suddenly approached through the crowd, waving her hand.

"Tomoyo-chan! There you are! We've been looking for you!"

"Chiharu-chan?" Tomoyo asked, looking at the group. "Naoko-chan? Eriol-kun? What's going on?"

"It's the others," Naoko replied, pointing toward the hallway. "They went on ahead to the home theater for the monster movie marathon we were looking forward to. The three of us stayed behind to get some more snacks, but when we got to the theater, they weren't there."

Eriol frowned, resting his chin in his hand. "I fear they might have gotten lost. Or perhaps… gotten wrapped up in something they shouldn't have."

His statement was vague, but the look in his eyes told Sakura exactly what he was thinking. She stiffened and her hand flew to where her key was hidden under the collar of her costume.

 _I wonder..._

"Oh, Sakura, there you are!"

Sakura looked over to see Touya approaching her and waving, Ruby Moon following at his heels. "Onii-chan? Ruby? What are you doing? Where is Yu-?"

"I don't know. He was with some of your friends, showing them to the media room, but I can't seem to find him. I went to look, but when I got to the media room, he and the others weren't there."

Chiharu gasped. "But they were so excited about seeing the movies. Where would they have gone?"

"They might have gotten lost," Tomoyo answered. "Why don't you go find my mom? In the meantime, Sakura-chan and I will look around the south wing of the house to see if we can find them."

" _I'm going with you_ ," Touya and Syaoran declared in unison and glared at each other as they realized what they'd said. Sakura stepped in between them, grabbing one of their hands in each of hers.

"Thanks, both of you. I know I'll be safe if the two of you are with me."

"Ruby Moon, go with them," Eriol spoke, motioning to Sakura's group. "I'll stay with the others, just in case."

"In case _what_?" Naoko asked.

Sakura stiffened and looked to Syaoran for an explanation, but Tomoyo broke in before she could. "In case the _ghosts_ of the haunted house got them," she answered with a flourish. "That's what you meant, right Eriol-kun?"

Eriol laughed. "Of course. You _have_ outdone yourself with this decorating, after all."

"Let's go, Touya! We can't leave Yukito all by himself!" Ruby grabbed Touya's hands and pulled him toward the hallway, and he couldn't help but be dragged along. Sakura looked back and forth at Tomoyo and then Syaoran, nodding her head.

If something strange was going on, they were going to figure out what it was.

* * *

The hallway stretched out in front of them as the excitement of the party disappeared into the background. The only light was the moonlight streaming in through the skylight above, and Touya was leading the way.

"This is the place I was standing with Yuki when the kids approached us," Touya spoke up, pointing over to a place near the wall. "Then they went down in that direction. It almost seemed like they disappeared, but I thought it was just my imagination."

"Now that we're away from all those people, I can sense a presence," Syaoran replied. "Something is here, but I can't get a good reading on where it's coming from."

Ruby clenched a fist. "Do you think it took them somewhere? I can't sense Yue's presence anywhere."

"Let's go to Tomoyo-chan's room first." Sakura pushed her way to the front of the group and continued down the hall. "Stephen should be able to help us. He may know what card it is and how to find it."

Syaoran ran to fall in step beside her. "Are you sure? He hasn't exactly been an invaluable help in the past."

"Maybe not, but he's trying his best. And it's better than going into this completely blind-"

"You guys, look!"

The sound of Tomoyo's voice brought the group to a halt. Sakura and Syaoran glanced back, but they saw her pointing down the hall in front of them so they turned back around to see what she was looking at.

"There's a light over there," Touya observed, narrowing his eyes to get a better view. "I guess that means there's people. Let's go."

The group walked down the hallway in the direction of the small glow they could see, all eyes focused on the light. But suddenly it disappeared, and with it went all their visible surroundings.

Ruby Moon shrieked, holding out one hand to create a glowing ball of light. "What just happened?! Where'd everything go?"

"I don't know!" Sakura replied, turning a full three hundred and sixty degrees to search for some sign that they were still in the Daidoujis' house. But the whole place was dark, and the vague sense of energy she'd felt earlier now completely enveloped them. "This place is…"

"It seems like we've been pulled into a pocket dimension," Syaoran spoke. "Sakura, see if you can illuminate it with The Light."

Sakura nodded, reciting the incantation for her staff and activating the card. "Light card! Illuminate the darkness that surrounds us! LIGHT!"

The others covered their eyes as a large flash surrounded them, but once the initial brightness had died down, they looked up to see the same darkness as before.

"What?" Ruby Moon gasped. "Not even Light can illuminate it?!"

"It's not that," Sakura replied with a shake of her head. "It's more like there's nothing to illuminate. There's just _nothing_."

Ruby frowned and powered up an attack in her right hand. She tossed a spear of crystallized magic out in front of them, waiting for it to hit something. But there was no sound as it was swallowed up by the darkness and disappeared.

Touya sighed. "Well, that was useless. What do we do now?"

"If we keep walking, we're never going to get anywhere." Tomoyo's camera was giving an error message on the display, so she switched it off. "Sakura-chan, do you have a card that can break us out of this? What about Through?"

Sakura shook her head. "Through can only break through physical objects. Fly and Dash would just go on forever in whatever direction and eventually lose energy. And with no light, Shadow can't search for any objects. But what else is there…?"

"Sakura-chan, look!"

Tomoyo was pointing again, this time behind the group. When they turned around, they found the same dim light that had appeared before, now hovering at a distance. Sakura stared at it, feeling oddly fascinated by the color as it flickered and burned. Something about it seemed to be calling to her, and she felt drawn to it. But her feet were rooted to the spot.

Tomoyo, however, wasn't. "That's got to be the way out! Come on!" Before anyone could ask or protest, she started running in the direction of the light.

" _Tomoyo-chan!_ " Sakura gasped, reaching out one hand. Syaoran, meanwhile, took off running after Tomoyo.

"Wait!" he yelled. "Don't get too far! We don't know how stable this dimension is! If we get too far separated from the others in the group, we mi-"

And then he was gone, his voice swallowed up by the darkness.

"Syaoran!" Sakura gasped, her grip on the staff tightening. "Syaoran! Tomoyo-chan! Where did you go? Answer me! _Tomoyooo! Syaoraaaan!_ "

It was no use. There was nothing, not even an echo. It was as if the darkness has enveloped them and pulled them out of existence. Sakura stepped forward, but Touya grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Let's think about this logically, Sakura," he warned. "Whatever this card is doing, it's trying to disorient us. We can't let it cloud our judgement. Its true form must have something to do with that light they ran after. We should wait until it reappears and then figure out where it's coming from."

Sakura was worried about Syaoran and Tomoyo, but she knew he was right and nodded in agreement. "Let's look in opposite directions, so that, when the light appears again, we'll be able to see it."

Ruby raised one hand. "I could fly up to get a better view of this place-"

"Idiot! If you fly too far above us, you'll get separated too!"

"Wah! You're so mean, Touya!"

"I'm only telling the truth-"

"Stop it, both of you!" Sakura scolded. "If we're going to find Tomoyo and Syaoran and get out of here, we need to work together. Keep your eyes out for that light, okay?"

"Right!" "R-right…"

Ruby Moon was eager to please, and Touya begrudgingly nodded. But as soon as they turned their attention outward, there was an almost simultaneous gasp between the two of them.

" _There!_ "

By the time Sakura twirled around to look for the light as well, the two of them had started to run off. Sakura froze as she saw them heading in opposite directions, both chasing a separate light. Touya paused just long enough to call out to both of the others.

"Sakura, Akizuki, come on! This way!"

"No way!" Ruby protested. "You're looking at the wrong thing! That's gotta be just a reflection of some kind- _this_ is the real one! Come on, Sakura!"

Sakura frantically waved her hands back and forth. "No, stop! It's just trying to separate us! If you run off, you're going to end up just like Tomoyo and Syaoran-"

Her protests didn't make any difference, as the two continued off in their respective directions. Lost for anything else to do, Sakura reached for her cards.

"Cut them off before they get too far! _LOOP!"_

Touya and Ruby passed over the looped ground and reappeared in the opposite direction, disoriented by the sudden change.

"Wha-?" "What the hell?"

Touya and Ruby looked at each other, then back at the lights that were still hovering in the directions they'd been going. They turned themselves around and took on again, but only found themselves back in the same spot. When they turned around to dash out a third time, Sakura yelled at them.

"Please, stop! The card is just trying to split us up! We can't let that happen!"

Touya and Ruby looked back and her and then at each other. Touya closed his eyes and sighed, and Ruby's wings drooped.

"Sakura-chan is right," Ruby began, "we shouldn't let ourselves be distracted. It's just what the card wants."

"Yeah, I guess that's true…" Touya groaned and turned back to Sakura. "But what can we do? If we can't chase the lights, then…"

Sakura frowned and looked down at her feet. "I wonder… It seems to _want_ us to follow it. If we ignore it, then it might approach us." She pulled her head up and called out in the direction of the two lights that were still flickering a short distance away. " _Hey!_ If you want us, you're going to have to come get us!"

As soon as she finished her statement, the two lights flickered out, disappearing into the darkness. Sakura stiffened and held up her staff defensively, and Ruby prepared a magical attack in one hand. However, nothing physical approached them. Instead, a flickering light began to appear nearby, burning brightly and then disappearing only to appear again in another location. Sakura followed it with her eyes, trying to find a pattern in its movements, but there didn't seem to be any. It was appearing and vanishing with such ease, Sakura began to get dizzy watching it.

"I think it's trying to confuse us," Touya hissed. "There's gotta be a way to catch it."

Ruby was leaping after it, trying to catch hold of it, but even when she managed to grab where the light was, her hands just phased right through it and it disappeared with no difficulty.

"I- _ah!_ \- cant't- _ugh!_ \- get it- _ow!_ "

Ruby landed again, her face contorted in disgust. "I just can't get ahold of it… and ugh, it stinks too!"

Sakura perked up. "...stinks?"

"Yeah, like somthing's rotten." Ruby covered her face. "I wonder if it's poisonous. Sakura-chan, you shouldn't-"

Sakura had already run over to where the light was flickering back and forth, trying to get a glimpse. She couldn't get close to it, but she at least was able to catch a whiff of the smell Ruby had described. It _was bad-_ but more importantly, she knew what it was.

"I've got it!" Sakura exclaimed, pulling a card from her deck. "Be careful, you guys. I'm going to find the card's true form."

"You-" Touya began, but he saw the card Sakura had chosen and took a step back.

" _Firey,_ ignite the gas to reveal the location of the card! FIREY!"

The outline of Firey's body appeared, outlined with sparks that set fire to a body of gas that was hovering in the air around them, tracing where the card's light had been appearing. The fire burned in the air, spreading until it finally found a large volume of gas to ignite. The gaseous creature seemed to flinch and back away, but Sakura was ready. She brought her staff down on it, chanting the incantation.

" _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined; reject the hold of evil's blight and draw your power from my light! SAKURA CARD!_ "

The gaseous creature coalesced into the shape of a card, and floated to rest in Sakura's hand. She looked over it with satisfaction, an image of a flame underlined with the words "The Will 'O Wisp."

As she stared at the card, the area around her became brighter, and a chorus of voices drew her attention back to the real world.

" _Sakura-chan!_ "

"Oh, Tomoyo-chan! Thank goodness you're okay!" Sakura embraced Tomoyo, and then stepped back to examine her. "Are you alright? What happened to you?"

"After we ran off, we couldn't find out way back," Tomoyo explained, turning to look at Syaoran. "I'm sorry. It was my fault for running off."

Sakura shook her head, showing off the new card. "Don't worry. The card lures people away from one another using that light and causes them to get lost in the darkness. You couldn't help it-"

" _Yuki!_ "

"Touya! Sakura-chan!"

Yukito ran to greet them, taking Touya's hands in his and then turning back to look for the others in the room. The kids noticed Sakura and Tomoyo, and ran to see them, waving excitedly.

"Hey, why'd it stop? That was crazy cool!" "Daidouji-san, how did you manage that? The special effects were incredible." "I was totally scared! You did a great job!"

Sakura forced a smile and stepped back to allow Tomoyo to take over, already weaving an elaborate story about blackout curtains, strobe lighting, and stereo-broadcasted infrasound. An older woman approached to speak with her too, and Tomoyo's address of her as "Takagi-neesan" told Sakura that this was the woman that Sonomi had been looking for.

Syaoran placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder, and she turned to look at him, but before he could say anything to her about the card, she was tackled in a bear-hug by Ruby Moon.

"Sakura-chan, that was fantastic! How in the world did you know to find its true form like that?"

Sakura had learned not to struggle against Ruby's hugs, especially when she was in her true form. She just stayed still, holding the card out to Syaoran having sensed that he wanted to get a better look. "I was lucky- I'd been studying for this."

"Studying?" Ruby took a step back. "Amazing! Studying the cards! You truly are the master of the Sakura cards!"

"N-not the cards necessarily…" Sakura took her key and hid it under the collar of her costume again, and then turned to look at Syaoran. "And I wasn't studying by myself. I had help."

Syaoran looked up from the card and smiled. "Sakura, I… I'm sorry. I was worried about Tomoyo-san, and I left you behind-"

"It's okay." Sakura grabbed his hands to calm him down. "If it hadn't been for the books you checked out for me, I never would've known how to find the card's true form. So you saved me. Thank you so much."

Syaoran's face reddened, and he looked down at their hands. "I… um… that's… uh… listen..." He closed his eyes and steeled himself to speak. "About what I was going to say on Friday; I'm sorry I was so nervous. I had just been thinking, with everything that happened between Kanda and Hayashi, I guess it's not a secret that we're a couple. So maybe we could, uh, act a little more… couple-like."

Sakura wasn't sure quite what he was asking. " _Couple-like_? What does that mean?"

"It means, like, well… holding hands and stuff like that… and maybe…" He paused and took a deep breath. "You know, when we kissed before, it was nice. I'd like to do it again. Like, more often."

"You mean like right now?" Sakura asked, pressing a finger to her lips. Syaoran blushed and stepped back, turned around to see Tomoyo filming them.

"N-no! Not now! Later, later!"

Touya glared at them, but a friendly pat on the shoulder from Yukito and an enthusiastic tackle from Ruby kept him from saying anything that would split the two up.

…

"...and I'm happy to announce the winner of our costume contest. Please congratulate Akizuki Nakuru-san as the beautiful butterfly fairy Ruby Moon! Everyone give her a round of applause!"

Ruby eagerly hopped up the stairs to join Tomoyo's mother on the stage and take the microphone.

"This is _such_ an honor, but I just can't take all the credit! See, this gorgeous costume was made for me by my relative, Hiiragizawa Eriol! The dress, the wings, even the hair and makeup- all Eriol's work! Eriooooool!" She waved frantically, picking him out toward the back of the crowd. "Get up here with me, Erioool~!"

Sakura watched Eriol heave a resigned sigh and start moving toward the stage from their position by the apple tub. She'd been sure to show off the new card to him and explain what had happened.

Yamazaki was still busy with his Halloween games, having moved on from trying to grab one to working on peeling the apples. Aiko, however, had already taken a bite out of hers.

"I don't need to throw mine over my shoulder. I already know th' only guy for me is Hicchan, right?" She laughed and tossed her arm around Kanda's shoulder. It was a more powerful gesture than she'd intended, and he almost fell over.

"Y-you say that like it's a threat…" " _C'mon! You know you love me!_ " "I've liked you since the fifth grade, but that doesn't give you an excuse to manhandle me like this-" " _Hah! Fifth grade? Weak sauce! I've had a crush on you since_ _third_ _grade!_ " "Not everything is a competition, Aicchan!"

Sakura couldn't suppress a laugh, and then turned to Yamazaki and Chiharu who were busy examining the apple peel that he'd tossed over his shoulder.

"I don't know, Takashi," Chiharu was saying, a pensive frown on her face. "It may not be a 'chi,' but it doesn't look like anything else in particular. You've just gotta admit this fortune telling thing is bogus-"

"No! It's got to be! Perhaps an English 'C?" " _No, it's too twisted for that_." "Then maybe… a _'to_?' Your name can also be read as _Tomomi_ , so-" " _I told you, just give it a rest_!" "A _'se'_ for _sen_ , since it's the first-" " _Just forget it! You're getting on my nerves!_ "

Once again, Sakura had to laugh. "It seems like everyone is enjoying themselves," she spoke up, nudging Syaoran who was still focused on peeling his apple. He looked up just long enough to respond with a nod and then looked back down.

"When I said I wanted to act more couple-like, that wasn't at all what I meant."

Sakura reached out and put her hand over his. "I think every couple has their own way of acting couple-like. Aiko-chan and Kanda-san are always competing, Chiharu-chan and Yamazaki-kun are always bickering… but the fact that they are still so close means that they're happy with the way things are. So we just have to find our own way of acting couple-like, okay?"

Syaoran looked up to her and smiled. "Maybe our couple-like behavior is supporting each other in the face of danger. For a couple with powerful magic between them, I can't think of any better way to show our love."

His words were spoken with a smile, and Sakura leaned in, standing on the tips of her toes to get closer to his lips. "We can still kiss, though. Right?"

"Ri-"

She had been positioned so that, when he turned his head, their lips just barely met. His face flashed red and he jumped away, almost dropping the apple. Tomoyo, watching from a short distance away, giggled at the scene.

"Sakura-chan's natural sweetness scoring a critical hit on Syaoran-kun's nerves? That's their true couple-like scene."

* * *

Sakura found herself once again in a suspiciously dark place, one that seemed to be illuminated only by a low, unknown light source. She was seated, and looked up from the floor to see a face that had become familiar to her by now. The elegant curves of the woman's face were mostly obscured by her dark, curly hair, but a pair of curious brown eyes stared through with a look of fascination.

"Sakura," the woman gasped.

"It's you," Sakura murmured. "What are you doing in my dreams? What is it you're trying to tell me?"

The woman stared, her expression clouding as though she didn't quite understand what Sakura was saying. She spoke her own question, but it was once again in a language that Sakura didn't understand. Seeing Sakura's look of incomprehension, the woman reached into her robe and pulled out a pad of paper. In her other hand she held up a calligraphy brush, looking to Sakura for some kind of confirmation.

"A message…?" Sakura murmured, and then gasped. If it really was Chinese the woman was speaking, she might be able to get a message across using characters that Sakura recognized as kanji. It wouldn't be foolproof, but it would at least offer an opportunity for more communication than they currently had.

The woman nodded and put her calligraphy pen to the paper, writing out the first character. Sakura stood up and moved around behind the woman so that she could see the writing right-side up. But when she did so, a wind began to whip up behind her, blowing the papers from the woman's book back and forth. The woman dropped her book and held the brush close to her chest to protect it amidst the pages from the book being ripped out and blown around. Sakura chased after them, her hand reaching out in front of her to grasp the sheet that the woman had been writing on. She only got one last look at it before the whole place faded into darkness, but it was enough to at least read it.

"Nine…"

Sakura sat up with a gasp, glancing around her room to regain her bearings. It was still dark outside, but the beginnings of morning light were just beginning to show around the edges of the horizon. Hearing Sakura's voice, Stephen poked his head up from his stuffed-animal bed and Kero opened the drawer just enough to peek out.

"Sakura-sama?" "Sakura?"

"Oh, you guys…" Sakura began, looking over in their direction. "I had that dream again."

"The one with the foreign woman who knows your name?" Kero asked.

"Yeah. But this time we were actually able to communicate a little. She had this notebook, and used a calligraphy brush to write on it."

Stephen frowned. "A calligraphy brush, huh? Where'd she get the ink?"

"I don't know. I knew it was a dream, so I didn't question it." Sakura shook her head. "She started writing something- the number nine- but didn't get to finish before everything got blown away."

"Nine?" Kero asked.

"Yeah. Just the number, though, so I don't know what it means." Sakura leaned back on her pillow, staring up at the ceiling. "I wonder if it has something to do with the Warp Cards."

"Well, your capture of The Will 'O Wisp today makes six Warp Cards purified," Stephen pointed out, scampering down from the windowsill, across the rug, and up onto the bed beside Sakura. "Perhaps what you interpreted as a nine was merely an upside-down six."

"No, that can't be." Sakura shook her head. "It wasn't the numeral nine, it was the kanji. I think she speaks Chinese, so it's written with the same character. That's not something that can be easily mistaken."

"You said she didn't finish, right?" Kero asked. "So maybe she was trying to write something else and just didn't get any farther. That character is a component of many others- she could easily have been trying to write something like _ninety,_ or _… circle_? Like, that your attempts to communicate were going in circles?"

"That's a stretch and you know it, Kero-chan," Sakura shot back.

"I'm just sayin', we shouldn't wear ourselves out tryin' to figure out this mysterious _nine_ message when it could very well mean something else."

Stephen raised a paw. "If I may, it is possible that the number is in reference to the next Warp Card that Sakura-sama will encounter."

"And how d'ya figure that?"

"Because, when you include the two cards currently in possession of Noboru, there are a total of eight Warp Cards currently accounted for. The next card to show itself, whether purified by Sakura-sama or captured by Noboru, will be the ninth card overall."

Kero frowned. "I don't know. That makes a lot of assumptions."

"Not any more than the character being the first two strokes of _circle,_ " Sakura replied with a pointed glare, and Kero sunk back into his drawer.

"Alright, already. Ignore me. That's fine. Just don't overthink this, will ya? You've got enough to worry about."

Stephen nodded, climbing onto Sakura's lap and placing a paw on her hand. "Kerberos is right. You should worry more about your day to day struggles for now. The meaning of these dreams shall come in time."

Sakura was hesitant, but she finally nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm going to sleep a little longer, and then I'll focus on school. I don't have to have all the answers to my dreams yet."

Stephen gave her an encouraging smile. "Everything will surely be alright, Sakura-sama."

"Everything will surely be alright."

Still, as they settled back to sleep, Stephen couldn't help considering her description of the figure in her dream. Perhaps it was just dream logic, as she'd described, but he couldn't be sure.

" _A magical calligraphy brush, huh? I wonder…_ "


	10. Sakura and the Culture Festival Collab

Thank you all so much for your patience and encouragement with this story so far! As usual, I don't own anything (nobody owns Hamlet; PUBLIC DOMAIN, Y'ALL), I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **10- Sakura and the Culture Festival Collaboration**

The school courtyard was mostly empty first thing in the morning, a sight that Sakura was still unused to even after a week of early-morning cheerleading practices. She had to show up particularly early today to practice some small group stunts that they'd been having trouble with the afternoon before, and she'd even beaten her dad out of bed that morning to get ready. It was hard having to be up so early, especially since it was so dark in the mornings nowadays, but it was all worth it for the cheerleading performance they were preparing for the upcoming culture festival. It was a musical collaboration with the choir club and the concert band club, and with Tomoyo performing a solo, she couldn't _wait_ to get on stage together.

With her head in the clouds and her lips humming the tune of the song they were performing, she almost didn't notice the sound of an unfamiliar voice from farther over in the courtyard. However, when a voice she _did_ recognize replied, she quickly turned her attention to what was happening. Sakura dashed over toward the clearing, peering over the hedge to see what was going on.

On the clear patch of grass, Syaoran stood opposite a girl that Sakura didn't recognize, both of them wielding swords. Her heart raced as she watched them strike at each other, parrying back and forth with seemingly equal strength. Syaoran's sword was not the one he normally wielded, but something thinner, akin to a fencing foil. The girl's was similar, and her movements were just as fluid and sure as Syaoran's were. The sight caused Sakura to draw in a frightened breath.

 _What's going on?_

The two foils struck each other again, and the combatants jumped back, both seeming to be sizing up their opponent. Syaoran was the first to speak up again, raising his sword with an impatient " _have at you now!_ "

The girl was just a split second too late, starting to draw back but failing to do so in time to avoid Syaoran's sword grazing her shoulder. She tumbled to the ground, clutching the shoulder with gritted teeth, but when Syaoran brought his sword down over her, she was able to spring up and deflect his strike to the side.

Sakura couldn't tell whether or not the girl was injured- she really had looked hurt when she fell, but her uniform wasn't damaged, and she was on her feet again. Everything in Sakura's mind was telling her to jump in before Syaoran really hurt this girl, but she couldn't bring herself to move. What if she distracted him and made the situation worse? What was going on anyway?

Back on her feet, the girl turned back to Syaoran for another strike. He went on the offensive, dashing forward to meet her halfway, his arms outstretched. There was the sound of metal hitting metal as their swords met one another, then again, and then again with such force that the hilts were wrenched from their hands. Both Syaoran and the girl dove forward, barely missing the hilt of their respective foils, but managing to grab the other's. The unfamiliarity of the new sword seemed to distract Syaoran as he looked back and forth between the one in his hand and the girl's- and this was just the opening she was looking for. She struck him, her sword grazing his chest and sending him back with a grunt of pain. He landed on the grass, struggling to prop himself up with one arm while he clutched his chest with the other. The girl approached, looming over him with her sword poised to strike, and Syaoran managed to stagger to his feet again, shifting his grip to meet her strike once again-

" _STOP_! STOP THIS!"

Before she knew what she was doing, Sakura had leapt through the hedge and thrown her arms out to get their attention. If she could just distract them, maybe she could find out what was going on and put a stop to it. If Syaoran was in danger, she couldn't just do nothing.

The two swords hit one another, and they both jumped back. Syaoran's eyes flew over to Sakura and widened. "Sa-"

The girl cut him off as she threw her free hand to the side. "Nay, come again!"

"I-Izumi-senpai, I don't think she knows what's going on…"

The change in Syaoran's posture was immediate, his hunched position covering his chest giving way to his usual squared shoulders. All the pain on his face had disappeared, and he seemed more concerned than anything else. Sakura looked back and forth between the two, still confused.

"Well, she got the timing right, even if the line was wrong." The girl turned to look at Sakura and smiled with a wink. "The line is ' _part them; they are incensed,'_ but I think Hashimoto-kun would be upset if he knew someone was trying to steal his role."

Sakura jumped back against the hedge and waved her hands. "N-no, I wasn't- wait. _Role_? Were you guys… practicing for the play?"

There was a pause. Syaoran groaned, but Izumi burst out laughing.

"Wow, Li-kun. What kind of person are you, that your girlfriend thinks you'd really be swordfighting with an upperclassman in the schoolyard?"

Sakura covered her mouth, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry! It's not like that, it's just-"

"It's alright." Syaoran sighed, stepping over to stand beside Sakura and pat her on the shoulder. "She's just worn out from all her cheerleading practices. Don't tell me you've got practice this early? You need your sleep."

Sakura pouted. "I could say the same to you! What you guys are doing is dangerous- what if you get hurt?"

"I don't want to hear this from someone at the base of a cheerleading pyramid-!"

Their argument was cut off by the sound of laughter from Izumi, and the two turned back to look at her. "You two are really cute," she spoke through her laughter, approaching them and holding out her foil for Sakura to see. "These are our props for the play. They're not sharp, see? We've worked out the blocking so that it _looks_ like we hit each other to the audience, but we don't actually make contact with one another's bodies. That's the magic of stage combat."

Sakura reached out hesitantly, running her finger over the foil. "Wow. This is amazing…"

"Sakura, aren't you headed to practice?"

The sound of Syaoran's question elicited a gasp from Sakura. "Oh no! That's right- I'm going to be late! Sorry for interrupting- good luck with your practice!"

"Thanks!" Izumi waved to her as she ran off. "Oh, but remember; actors don't say 'good luck.' Actors say ' _break a leg_!"

"H-huh…?" Sakura froze. "B-bu… re…"

"It's English," Syaoran interrupted. "It's an ironic expression of encouragement, wishing the actor to break their leg."

"Oh, uh…"

Izumi nodded, her smile still as bright as ever. "And in French, they say ' _merde,_ ' which means-"

"A-anyway, Sakura has to get to cheerleading practice!" Syaoran grabbed Izumi's free arm and jerked her backward. "See you in class, Sakura! Bye!"

Sakura waved back, a little taken aback by the sudden break in the conversation.

"...bye, then…"

* * *

Sakura made it to the classroom after practice, still out of breath. The practice had gone well, if a little frustrating. It was a new group she was working with for this stunt, and not only was the flyer a little unbalanced, but the fourth-position was a third-year who seemed completely disinterested in the endeavor. The two had bickered about it, blaming each other for being too enthusiastic or not enthusiastic enough, and Sakura couldn't take it. Lifting one of her teammates above her head? She could do it without breaking a sweat. But listening to her teammates arguing? Sakura was already exhausted and school hadn't even started yet.

As she opened the classroom door, Sakura heard the sound of Tomoyo's voice singing. She walked over to their desks, leaning over to see the sheet of music on Tomoyo's desk. Naoko and Rika were there with her, talking now that she'd stopped singing.

"Hey, can you give me a B again? I don't think that was quite right." Tomoyo finished her statement and then seemed to realize that Sakura was there. "Oh! Sakura-chan! I was just practicing my solo for our performance. For some reason, I keep hitting that high C at the end just a little flat."

Rika tapped her phone and it emitted one short note. "That's the B," she said, showing the display to Tomoyo. Tomoyo nodded and glanced back down at her sheet music just a moment before closing her eyes and singing out. On the last note, she paused and held it longer than needed. She frowned, looked back up at Rika, and sang the note again. Rika played another note on her phone, one that sounded to Sakura like exactly the same note that Tomoyo was singing. However, Tomoyo adjusted her pitch ever so slightly until she was satisfied.

"That sounds better. Let me see if I can get it starting from measure eleven again-"

Sakura sat down, smiling as she listened. Tomoyo was working just as hard as Syaoran was on his play and she was with the cheerleading group. It was going to be their first culture festival as high schoolers, and the collaborative performance was something everyone in the school was excited for, whether or not they were actually participating. Syaoran was probably still practicing with the theater club, so Sakura didn't expect him to arrive in the classroom until just before class started. In the meantime, she opened her math textbook. Maybe she could use this time to study the material she'd been neglecting recently.

* * *

Despite the excitement surrounding the upcoming festival, the teachers held class as usual. Of course, with the extra exercise in the morning before class, Sakura was more than ready for lunch when the time came around. As soon as the bell rang, she snatched up her lunchbox and dashed out to her friends' usual spot in the courtyard. Syaoran followed her, and within a few minutes, most of their group had gathered.

"Wow, Sakura-chan. You packed a big lunch today!" Rika exclaimed. Sakura just nodded, still with a bite of omelet in her mouth. As she finished it, Tomoyo offered an explanation.

"With all the practices that the cheerleading club has been having, she needs plenty of fuel!"

Sakura nodded, finally able to speak. "I had to eat breakfast really early too. I didn't think I was going to make it all the way through science class. I was so scared Umeno-sensei was going to hear my stomach growling and call me out in front of everyone…"

Chiharu laughed. "I know what you mean. I stole some of the cookies that Takashi had in his desk before fourth period started-"

"That was _you_?" Yamazaki bristled, looking down at his lunch and then back at Chiharu. "I knew I had ten cookies this morning!"

"Aw, come on. You always share your cookies with me."

"But when I do that, I'm offering them to you. If you steal them, then-"

"You were _literally_ standing right there when I took them! If you were upset about it, you should've stopped me then!"

The group shared a light-hearted chuckle over the sight and then continued their conversation without the bickering couple. "I know that Chiharu-chan and Tomoyo-chan and I have been practicing for the joint performance," Sakura began again, "and Yamazaki-kun and Syaoran are doing the play with the drama club… but what are the other clubs doing? Rika-chan, you're in the baking club, right?"

"Right." Rika nodded. "Since Christmas is less than two months away, we're doing a gingerbread-house building competition. Everything, including the gingerbread, icing, and candy is all made from scratch. We're inviting people to come by and cast votes for their favorite, as well as decorate their own gingerbread cookies to eat."

"That sounds _wonderful_ ," Naoko gasped. "The literature club has put together a novella that we're selling, with a chapter written by each member. We've passed it around for several weeks, one person writing a chapter and then handing it off to another member to continue. I wrote chapter three last month, so I've been involved in helping edit and typeset everything since then. It's really a great read, and fun to see how everyone's writing style differs not only in word choice but in the way that they balance moments of comedy and drama."

"Ooh, how much are the copies?" Tomoyo asked, her eyes sparkling. "I definitely want a copy!"

"They're five-hundred yen apiece, but we've also decided to offer digital copies for two hundred and fifty yen. It saves a lot of time and money on printing and binding."

"Smart," Syaoran murmured. "Many people are turning to e-readers these days. But if you make the digital copy half the price, is there a danger that no one will buy the ones you've printed and you'll lose money on the printing costs?"

Naoko shook her head. "Those of us in the literature club love the feel of a physical book, so we'll probably sell a bunch just within the club. There's something special about seeing your writing in print, you know? And some of the older teachers and parents will probably prefer the print copies."

"Oh, right. I forgot there was the parent market to consider."

Tomoyo giggled. "You can really tell that Syaoran-kun's father is a businessman. He's picked up a lot."

"Wha-?! That's not-"

Before he could finish, there was a yell from across the courtyard as a group of third-years approached them. The one in front was waving, and Sakura recognized her as the girl that Syaoran had been practicing with earlier.

" _Oh,_ there they are! See? I told you that Li and Yamazaki always ate lunch with Naoko-chan!"

Naoko looked up with a sudden gasp, her cheeks turning red. "S-Saya-senpai? What are you doing here? Who is this?"

The three upperclassmen gathered around the circle, the two in back offering a friendly wave. Saya motioned to each of them in turn. "This is Hashimoto-kun and Akasaka-chan. They're in the play with us, and were wondering if Li and Yamazaki would be willing to help us practice the lines around the swordfight portion of the last scene."

Both Syaoran and Yamazaki looked up from their lunches. "I-I'm almost finished eating," Syaoran volunteered. "But I can practice when I finish. Do we need to get the foils from the prop room?"

"No. We'll just pretend for right now. It's the death lines for Akasaka, Hashimoto, and Li that we want to go over."

Sakura flinched. "D-d-death lines?! You're saying they _all_ die in the same scene?"

Naoko turned and patted Sakura on the shoulder. "You've never read Hamlet, have you, Sakura-chan?"

"No, but I…"

"It's a Shakespearean tragedy," Tomoyo offered, "so almost everyone dies at the end. That's how they work."

Yamazaki moved over a little, opening up the circle so that the third-years could sit with them. "Why don't you guys join us?" he asked, waving his hand. "We can finish eating, and then we can do the scene for our friends here."

Hashimoto shrugged his shoulders. "Sounds good to me. I don't mind an audience."

Naoko's eyes sparkled. "A sneak peek at the drama club's upcoming production? Oh, I can't wait!"

Akasaka sat down by Hashimoto, close enough that they could tell the two were a little more than just classmates. Saya, in the meantime, stretched and took a seat a little closer to the middle of the circle.

"This is going to be my last production with the drama club at Seijyo, so I want it to be the best we can make it, you know?"

"Your last one?" Rika asked. "You're not going to participate in the spring talent show?"

Saya shook her head. "Unfortunately, I have to quit the club to focus on college entrance exams and auditions. Performing arts programs not only require students to pass the university's entrance exam but also hold auditions to be part of the program itself. Even if you get into the university, there's no guarantee the performing arts program will accept you. That's why I have to work my hardest."

"Do you want to be a Shakespearean actor, Izumi-senpai?" Chiharu asked, swiping another cookie from Yamazaki's lunch.

Saya shook her head. "I actually want to do period pieces. But when you're just starting out, you have to audition for every role you can. It's later, once you've established yourself as a popular actor that you can pick and choose. I've considered auditioning for television roles too, just to diversify my portfolio, but we'll see."

"Oh! If it's period pieces you like-" Yamazaki broke in, "-you definitely have to come by class 1-B when you have some free time. We're decorating it like a traditional Japanese home and offering lessons on making wagashi flowers with nerikiri dough."

"Oh my gosh, that sounds _amazing_!" Saya squeaked. "That's way more creative than what my class is doing! We're just doing a regular cafe…"

"Hey, that's not true," Hashimoto interrupted. "We've got a group of students doing stand-up for the patrons. It's supposed to be like a comedy club. I'm the headliner, don't forget."

Akasaka squeezed his arm. "He's a _hilarious_ comedian! You guys have to come and listen!"

"Yeah, right." Saya rolled her eyes. "If you like that sort of thing."

"I do like that sort of thing!"

"H-hey, guys!" Yamazaki broke in. "Li-kun and I just finished eating, if you'd like to run the scene. We could get the others to sit in a sort of semicircle, and do the blocking on a smaller scale here."

The third years stopped, glanced at each other, and laughed. "Yeah, let's do it," Saya agreed. "The sparring ground can be here, and the king and queen will sit over there…"

Within a few minutes, the members of the drama club had worked out their positions and started the scene. Sakura watched, fascinated with the way they were able to suddenly change into different people in a different time and place. There were no props, no stage, nothing to help them, and yet they became so fully immersed in what they were doing. She had no context for who the characters were or what was going on- besides Syaoran and Saya having just performed the swordfight she'd seen that morning. Yet somehow, she felt like she was part of it.

" _Part them; they are incensed!_ "

"Nay! Come again-"

As Saya and Syaoran leapt toward each other, Akasaka collapsed onto the ground. Sakura moved to get up, but Tomoyo put a hand on her arm and she realized that it was part of the scene and calmed down again as they continued.

Yamazaki knelt down beside Syaoran, who was clutching his chest. "How is't, Laetes?" he murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder. Syaoran gritted his teeth, but he spoke with a calm, resigned smile.

"Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric… I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery…"

Saya, meanwhile, was drawing closer to where Akasaka had fallen. "How does the queen?" she begged.

"She swounds to see them bleed," Hashimoto replied with a wave of his hand, starting to help Akasaka to her feet. However, Akasaka clutched his shirt and tugged on it as she fell forward.

"No, no! The drink, the drink-" she shrieked, reaching out in Saya's direction. "O my dear Hamlet- the drink!" Her arm began to droop and her shoulders grew limp. "...the drink… I am poisoned…"

She fell out of Hashimoto's grip and crumpled onto the floor. Saya jumped to attention, her hands positioned as though she were holding her foil out. "O villainy!" She pointed off to the side, offstage. "Ho, let the door be locked: treachery! Seek it out!"

"It is here, Hamlet;" Syaoran called, pulling himself to his feet so that he could grab at her sleeve. "Hamlet, thou art slain. No medicine in the world can do thee good; in thee, there is not half an hour of life; the treacherous instrument is in thy hand..." His grasp on her sleeve tightened as he continued his lines, his head downcast yet tilted to the side enough so that his voice carried out to the audience rather than being directed at the ground. "...I can no more: the king, the king's to blame."

Saya jumped back as Syaoran released his grip, looking down at her imaginary sword and then over at Hashimoto. "The point, envenomed too! Then, venom-" There was a desperate twinge in her voice as she descended upon Hashimoto and struck forward as though stabbing him with the foil. "-to thy work!"

"Treason!" Yamazaki yelled, clasping his face in horror. "Treason!"

"Oh, yet defend me, friends; I am but hurt." Hashimoto struggled against the grip that Saya had taken on his shirt, but he couldn't pull himself away. Saya reached for an imaginary prop and shoved it in his face, her voice starting out quiet and raising in pitch with each word, the insults spat with growing fervor.

"Here… thou incestuous, _murderous, DAMNED_ Dane, drink off this potion! Is thy union here? Follow my mother."

And with that, Saya threw Hashimoto aside. He stumbled backward and crumpled onto the ground next to Akasaka. Sakura clutched her hands close to her chest, not prepared for the overwhelming force of the actors' emotions. She knew this was going to be a death scene, of course, but this… this was something she couldn't have imagined up if she'd tried.

Syaoran walked slowly over to where Saya stood, looming over the two pretend-corpses. "He is justly served;" he spoke, almost in a sigh. "It is a poison tempered by him...self-" As he finished his sentence, his voice hitched and he clutched his chest, doubling over and then crumpling to his knees. Saya knelt down next to him, holding his hand as he continued weakly. "Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: mine and my father's death come not upon thee, nor… thine… on… _me_ …"

Syaoran crumpled down into her lap, and Saya gently moved his limp form onto the grass. "Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee-"

At that point, the school bell rang, pulling both the actors and the audience out of the trance they'd all fallen into. It was like a spell had been broken and they'd been pulled back into the real world from a dream. Hashimoto and Akasaka hopped up, bushing themselves off, and Hashimoto leaned down to help Syaoran up as well.

"I guess that's our cute to split, huh?" Hashimoto asked with a grin. "That was pretty great! Though, Izumi, you could stand to throw me a little harder. I know how to fall correctly- you're not gonna hurt me."

Saya laughed. Save your notes for practice this afternoon. We can talk it over then."

"Sure, sure."

Naoko started to clap, and the others in the audience stopped packing up for a moment so that they could join in the applause. "You guys were amazing!" Rika exclaimed. "I can't wait to see the real thing with a set and props and all!"

Saya waved as she followed the other third-years back toward the building. "You won't be disappointed. See you later, Li, Yamazaki! Nice job!"

"Th-thanks," Syaoran replied as he waved back, though it wasn't obvious whether or not Saya actually noticed. He sighed and turned back around to the others. "Should we head in? We don't want to be late."

" _Right_!" they agreed in unison, though Sakura continued speaking to Syaoran on their way back.

"That was incredible, you know. When your character died, I really got scared for a minute. I knew it was just a play, but…"

Syaoran offered her a supportive pat on the shoulder. "It's okay. That means you were really into it- and that I did a good job. So, uh, thanks. But don't worry about me, alright?"

"Yes! Everything is going to be alright!"

Syaoran couldn't argue with that logic.

* * *

There were no classes that Saturday, but everyone showed up early to work on preparations for the culture festival. There was the general gamut of attractions; booths on the field run by different classes and clubs, and interior classrooms being decorated for use by others. Sakura first dropped by class 1-B to see what she could help with before cheerleading practice, but she quickly had to leave in order to get into uniform and onto the field. The cheer uniform was a little cold in the weather, but she knew that she'd warm up easily as they practiced, and the clear skies meant perfect weather for the outdoor performance.

"Chiharu-chan!" Sakura waved as she saw her friend, the other first-year member of her stunt group. Chiharu turned around to respond, but she wasn't smiling.

"Sakura-chan, there's a big problem."

The statement stopped Sakura in her tracks. "...a big problem? Huh?"

Chiharu led her over to where the other two in their stunt group were gathered, but it wasn't a pretty sight. The two were arguing, staring each other down with scathing glares.

"-and I'm telling you, I don't feel safe up in the air with _you_ pulling on my ankle like that!"

"I am _not_ pulling on your stupid ankle!"

"Then that's your problem right there! You're supposed to pull on my ankle!"

"Wait, now you _want_ me to pull on it?"

"Yes, but not the way you were doing-"

Sakura jumped in between them, holding out her hands. "You guys, please! What's going on with you?"

The third-year crossed her arms and turned away. "First, she complains that I'm pulling on her ankle, and then she says that I'm _supposed_ to pull on her ankle! What am I supposed to do? How do I please her?"

The second-year turned away too, letting out a frustrated huff. "She's supposed to pull _up_ on my ankle, not _backward_. If she pulls back, could lose my balance and fall. If she doesn't pull at all, then all my weight will be on the bases and I'll _still_ fall! We're not gonna have these practice pads at the performance, you know!"

Chiharu stepped in beside Sakura. "Hey, just because we're first-years doesn't mean we're unreliable bases. Even if Watanabe-senpai doesn't pull her weight, we'll be able to support you-"

" _Even if I don't pull my weight_?!" The third-year hissed. "I've been cheerleading since I was five! I didn't get where I am by _not_ pulling my own weight!"

"I don't care how long you've been cheerleading! If you're not going to support me, there's no way I'm going to let you lift me into the air-"

The two continued arguing, and Chiharu pressed close to Sakura. "What do we do?" she asked. "Should we tell Shimazaki-sensei?"

"If we tell Shimazaki-sensei, she might punish them by taking them off the performance. Then we'll have to rearrange places and practice new choreography, and…" She sighed and shook her head. "This isn't like them at all. Something weird is going on."

"Well, this _is_ Watanabe-senpai's last culture festival. It'd be a shame if she couldn't participate." Chiharu looked back at their teammates who were still arguing. "But we can't practice like this, and if we can't practice, we won't get the timing right…"

Sakura glanced around, scanning the area not only with her eyes but with her magical intuition. There definitely seemed to be something strange around, but she couldn't figure out where it was. It felt vague and nebulous, like one of the cards that affected a large area rather than a single location. However, the feeling was the same- the one she'd been training herself to identify.

She was getting better at sensing Warp Cards, and this was definitely one.

"Hey, why don't we let them work this out themselves? I'm feeling kinda lightheaded, so I'm going to the nurse's office for a little bit."

"Huh?" Chiharu looked over, surprised. "What's the matter? Do you need me to walk you there-?"

"N-no, I'm fine!" Sakura stepped away, already heading in the direction of the building. "I think I've just overworked myself. I need to sit down for a little while, and I'll be good as new! I'll see you guys later!"

She waved as she ran off, ignoring Chiharu's repeated questions and the upperclassmen's stares. If she was going to find out what was going on, she had to find Kero and Stephen.

Tomoyo had left her bags- and the two guardians- in the classroom while she was practicing with the chorus club, so Sakura went straight there first. It was already beautifully decorated, with the desks set aside so that a large portion of the floor was exposed. The floor was covered with a patterned paper meant to look like tatami mats, and some of the students were already dressed in the costumes they'd brought. There was enough commotion that Sakura just planned to walk through and grab the bag inconspicuously. However, the sound of a heated argument caught her attention.

"We _can't!_ It's just too historically inaccurate!"

"We have to! There's no other way."

"A propane burner to simulate a fire would at least provide a closer version to-"

"You know a propane burner isn't allowed in the classroom! We've been over this!"

"But an electric hot plate is-"

Sakura drew closer to the two, reaching out to them. "Um, what exactly are you two-?"

" _Kinomoto-san!_ " Both of the boys turned to her immediately, causing her to scramble backward. They seemed unfazed by this, one grabbing the hot plate that was sitting on the desk nearby and the other pointing to the recipe book he was holding.

"We're not allowed to use a burner in the classroom," the first stated firmly. "A hot plate is our only option in this case. Unless, of course, you want to make the nerikiri dough at home and bring it in-"

"That draws away from the experience," the other student replied. "We want our visitors to see where the dough they're working with comes from. Watching us make it is an important part of the process."

"So you agree that the hot plate is necessary."

"But it's-!"

Sakura stepped away, holding her hands up. "U-um, if I had to make a decision, I'd say it's only logical to use the hot plate. I mean, ancient people would've used that technology is they had it, right? So there's nothing wrong with modernizing our process at least a little." Before either of the two boys could say anything else, she grabbed the bag from Tomoyo's desk. "I've got to take this to Tomoyo-chan in the music room, so, uh, good luck!"

" _Wait!_ Kinomoto-san!"

She was already out the door before they could finish, and while she glanced back to see if they were following her, the classroom door stayed closed. She breathed a sigh of relief and then continued down the hall and around the corner to the stairwell where it was quiet and generally deserted. Once there, she could open up the bag and look in to see what Stephen and Kero were doing.

" _Huh_?! What is _that_?"

Kero and Stephen both looked up from the handheld gaming system they were glued to, each pulling a single earbud from one of their ears.

"Excuse me!" Kero groaned before looking back at the game. "We're kinda in the middle of something here."

"Well, save and turn it off," Sakura ordered. "I need your help with something."

"I'm afraid we cannot, Sakura-sama. You see, this game does not allow one to save during a battle."

"HAH!" Kero yelled, slamming his paw down on a button. "Ya think you're so great with yer fire spells? Get a taste of my Waterfall Vortex!"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura groaned, leaning in closer to him. "Forget the game for a minute. This is serious. I think there's a Warp Card here."

Kero immediately shut the game off. "Well, why didn't you say that in the first place? Come on! Let's go check it out-"

"Kero-chan, wait!" Sakura caught him as he tried to fly out of the bag. "I don't know where it is or exactly what it's doing. All I know is that it's making people argue, and I need to find it or it's going to ruin our whole culture festival."

Kero relaxed a little, turning back to look at her and leaning against her hand. "Makin' people argue? About what?"

"Yes, we need more information." Stephen hopped up onto the handle of the bag. "There are many Warp Cards that could produce such an effect. The Ouroboros can create cyclical or repetitive thoughts that drive its victims mad, The Siren can drive people to madness using certain sounds, and The Parasite can create strange behavior in its hosts depending on its chosen mechanism of infection-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Sakura cut him off. "I don't think it's any of those, though. They didn't seem like they were in pain or being controlled. They were just fighting over, like, choreography and historical accuracy… artistic differences, I guess."

Stephen put a paw over his mouth, humming a little as he thought. "Artistic differences, huh… then it must be…" He stopped and let out a gasp. "That's it! The Muse!"

Sakura and Kero looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate. When he didn't, Kero flew over to sit beside him, nudging his arm. " _And_? What does The Muse do, exactly?"

"Ah! My apologies, Kerberos, Sakura-sama. The Muse is a card which attacks all forms of artistic expression. Music, dance, literature, theater- Muse will infect the minds of those involved in such endeavors, making it impossible for them to work. It was created from one of Warp Neon's most ruthless war tactics, attacking the morale of the enemy troops. If you take an enemy's weapons away, they will still fight you with their bare hands, he said. But take away their happiness, their art and music and all manner of things that make life worth living, and they will have no strength to fight."

Sakura clutched a hand to her chest. "Th-that's terrible!"

Stephen nodded. "The card must have been attracted to your school, Sakura-sama, because of all the students engaged in artistic pursuits. It is the perfect target."

"Hey, uh, you said it affects music and theater too, right?" Kero asked, putting his paw up. "Doesn't that mean Tomoyo and the kid's clubs will be affected?"

Sakura gasped, nearly dropping the bag as she straightened up. "Tomoyo-chan! Syaoran! They could be in trouble!"

Stephen grabbed on tightly to the handle as the bag shook in Sakura's grip. "Th-the Muse is made up of nine individual beings, each representing one of the nine goddesses of the arts in Greek mythology. There are two devoted to drama; one for comedy and one for tragedy. If Li Syaoran-sama is performing in Hamlet, then certainly the muse of tragedy will be attracted to him. Tomoyo-sama may attract either the muse of song or of hymns."

"How do I find them?" Sakura asked. "And when I find them, what can I do to stop them? If they're all separate, how am I going to seal the card?"

Stephen crossed his arms, frowning. "Now that you mention it, that _will_ be the most difficult part of this. How _will_ you capture the card when the parts are separated...?"

"Aw, don't just repeat her questions and not give any answers!" Kero growled. "If you're not gonna give an answer, then quit yammerin' on and let Sakura do her work!"

"Calm down, Kero-chan," Sakura warned, picking him up and putting him back down in the bag. "You two hide again for right now. I'm going to the auditorium to see how Syaoran's dress rehearsal is going."

Stephen nodded and hopped down into the bag again. "Keep thinking about it Sakura-sama. I'm sure there is a Sakura Card or combination of Sakura Cards that will allow you to assemble the Muse's parts into a whole."

"A combination of Sakura Cards, huh?" Sakura murmured as she closed the bag back up. "I wonder…"

* * *

The drama club was supposed to be doing a dress rehearsal, so Sakura expected to walk in on a lit stage and an in-progress play. However, when she entered the school's auditorium, she found it in chaos. Students were all talking over one another, some on the stage and some in the audience seats, many with their eyes glued to their scripts. No one seemed to notice Sakura walk in, so she was left to scan the area trying to find Syaoran. She'd spent enough time with Tomoyo while she'd been working on his costume to recognize the dark blue, gold-trimmed tunic. He seemed to be speaking with the teacher, so she stood to the side and waited until the conversation ended. The teacher seemed to agree to something, and Syaoran thanked him and ran off toward the auditorium door. He met Sakura halfway and stopped as soon as he saw her.

"Y-you're here! How did you know…?" He stopped himself, shaking his head as he answered his own question before she could. "You sensed the card, didn't you?"

"Yes," Sakura answered with a nod. "There was trouble with the cheerleading club and our class too. According to Stephen, a lot of different groups might be affected. What's going on here?"

Syaoran frowned, glancing at the bag and then back at the others in the auditorium. "No one can seem to remember their lines. We've been off-book for two weeks, but when we started our dress rehearsal, we could barely get through the first scene. The director started scolding everyone, but when really reliable actors like Izumi-senpai couldn't get through even the first part of a soliloquy, we realized something was wrong. We're taking a break now to study, but if it's the work of a Warp Card, then-"

"Let's go somewhere no one can see us," Sakura began, grabbing hold of Syaoran's hand. "We can talk to Stephen and figure out where to find the part of the card that's doing this."

"Part…?"

Sakura didn't answer, just motioning for Syaoran to follow and making her way up to one of the lighting rooms above the stage. From there, she could get a better look at the auditorium without drawing any attention to them.

"I remember this place," Syaoran murmured. "This is where we were hiding when you captured the Mist card."

"Yeah!" Sakura nodded in agreement. "And _you_ rescued Onii-chan and his classmate."

"Oh, th-that? I, uh, don't recall… must not remember… sorry."

If the situation were not so dire, Sakura would have laughed at his embarrassed denial. But they had more important things to worry about right now. She unzipped the bag to let Kero and Stephen out. Kero flew over to perch on one of the stand lights, and Stephen climbed up the bag's handle and Sakura's arm to sit on her shoulder.

"Stephen here has been sayin' that Muse's components will find places where they can observe everything that's goin' on," Kero said, scanning the auditorium. "My guess for here would be somewhere up on the lighting or-"

"Hold on. Slow down," Syaoran broke in. "What card did you say this was?"

"The Muse, Li Syaoran-sama," Stephen responded. "It is a card that can separate into nine different entities that each represent one of the ancient Greek goddesses of the arts. Thankfully, each by itself is not particularly powerful. But for Sakura-sama to seal the card and purify it, we will need to collect all nine. Otherwise, the purification won't work-"

" _There!_ That's gotta be it!"

Kero's voice cut off Stephen's explanation, and the rest of the group turned around to see him pointing up at one of the lights above the stage. Atop the light was perched a small, fairy-like creature, peering at the chaos through the eyes of a mask. Noticing that it was being watched, the creature turned to look into the lighting room, moving aside the exaggerated frown of the mask to reveal a smile on its real face. It leapt up off the light and came flying towards them, a sparkling magic emanating from its body.

"Quick, Sakura-sama! You've got to restrain it!" Stephen hid behind Sakura's back, peeking up over her shoulder ever so slightly. Sakura nodded and grabbed her key, chanting the incantation and pulling two cards from her pocket. She didn't have enough time to give a detailed explanation, but the cards knew what she was thinking, and they did just as she'd hoped.

" _Trap Muse's physical form! BUBBLE! SHIELD!_ "

One large bubble formed around the creature, and before it could pop the bubble from inside, Shield's magic reinforced the walls. Muse was left buzzing around the bubble, pounding against the sides to be let out. But its strength was no match for Shield, and it finally resigned itself to sit down with a pout. It placed the mask back over its face, allowing the frown on the mask to express its feelings. Sakura, on the other hand, sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness it worked."

"You weren't sure it was going to work?" Syaoran asked. "What were you going to do if it didn't? Putting all our faith into things that _might_ work was our problem when we fought Vegetation! You _can't_ do that-"

"Um, excuuuuse you!" Kero interrupted, flying into Syaoran's face. "You ever think there's a difference between a card that can asphyxiate you with vines and a card that, uh, makes you forget the lines to some stupid five-hundred-year-old play."

"What did you say-?!" Syaoran growled, leaning in, though he was cut off by a comment from Stephen.

"Actually, Hamlet was written approximately _four_ -hundred years ago, at the very beginning of the seventeenth century-"

Kero turned around to Stephen, getting in his face the way he'd done with Syaoran. "Shuuuut up!"

"Everyone, stop it!" Sakura scolded. "I shouldn't have acted so surprised. I trusted the cards and what they would be able to accomplish together. So often I use them separately, but when Stephen said something about a combination of cards, I realized that they really are a team. The cards are individuals, but they were made to work together, and as their master, I should be more aware of that."

The others went quiet, listening to her speak. Syaoran smiled and nodded, and Kero flew over to pat Sakura on the shoulder. "I've gotta say, I've never seen either card used like that. Askin' Bubble to make one big bubble instead of lots of little ones, using Shield to keep things _in_ instead of out… Clow Reed would be proud of ya, kiddo. And I'm sure the cards are proud of ya too."

Syaoran stepped forward. "I'm sorry to have criticized you like that. You knew what you were doing, and I was just being overprotective. It's like Kero said, this is not a card like Vegetation. And, even if it was, there's no point in scolding you when it's all worked out."

"It's alright!" Sakura chimed. "You need to go back and work with the rest of the drama club. I'll go find the other parts of the card and collect them so that I can purify it."

"Do you know where they are?" Syaoran asked.

"Stephen can help me."

"Yes! Sakura-sama is right!" Stephen held up one paw. "I shall inform her of the different parts of the card and the artistic activities with which they prefer to interfere. This one, Melpomene, is the muse of tragedy, which is why it was attracted to your production of Hamlet. There are eight others, so I'm sure we can find them with no trouble. And with Sakura-sama's ability to trap them, we'll have this card- _she'll_ have this card- purified before lunchtime!"

"We need it before then!" Sakura argued. "At eleven o'clock, the cheerleading, choir, and concert band clubs are doing a run-through of our joint performance. If that bombs, then we may not get to perform tomorrow night."

"Then we will not allow that to happen! Li Syaoran-sama, what is the current time?"

Syaoran checked his watch. "Quarter-past nine, so you'd better hurry. Let me help; I can-"

"No." Sakura didn't even let him finish his offer. "You need to stay and practice here. I'll be alright, I promise."

He paused, but finally sighed and nodded.

"Do your best."

* * *

It was like a scavenger hunt around the school.

Back in the gym, the cheerleaders were all arguing with one another, but once Sakura silenced the fairylike creature's tiny lyre, the fighting stopped and the gym was once more filled with the sounds of teamwork. In class 1-B, trapping the fairy kept it from making any more notes on its scroll and calmed the arguments of Sakura's classmates. The veiled figure terrifying the occult club by moving the pieces of the Kokkuri game was easily snatched up, and the masked fairy that had stolen the voices of class 3-A was added to the group as well. Lost items puzzled both the astronomy club and the literature club, with the stars on the star map and the text on the printed books having disappeared. It took capturing the parts of the card to return them from the fairies' globe and scroll respectively. Finally, a pass by the concert band club's room made their problem of out-of-tune instruments clear, and the flute-playing creature in the window was the culprit. Once Sakura had captured it, the vastly-improved tones from the music room seemed to resound in celebration that she had only one part of the card left to collect.

"The only one left is Erato, the muse of lyric poetry," Stephen said, examining the eight that were fluttering around in Sakura's Shield-fortified bubble. "My guess would be a group that is singing or writing song lyrics-"

"The choir club!" Sakura gasped. "It's gotta be! And that's Tomoyo's club too- we have to hurry! What time is it, Kero-chan?"

Kero picked up his smartphone and glanced at the clock. "Half past ten," he read, and it took him a moment to realize the severity of their situation. "Oh, _yikes_! Sakura, you'd better hurry!"

"Yeah! The choir is probably heading out to the field already! Quick, let's get downstairs and see if they're still there!"

The music room on the second floor was where the choir club was practicing, and when Sakura went down to see what was going on, she found the members lining up to go outside. She scanned the moving group and identified Tomoyo, running to catch up with her.

"Tomoyo-chan! Is everything okay?"

Tomoyo twirled around on her heels, looking over and noticing that Sakura was carrying her bag. "Sakura-chan! Are Kero-chan and Stephen…?" She gestured vaguely and Sakura nodded.

"Yes. There's a… you know." Sakura looked over the sullen faces of the other members of the choir club as they passed by. "Something strange is going on with the choir club, isn't there?"

Tomoyo clasped her hands close to her chest. "No one can seem to find their note. It's like we're all tone-deaf. That high C I was worried about yesterday is now the least of my problems… The director said that if we can't pull ourselves together for this joint practice, there's no way we can perform tomorrow."

" _No!_ " Sakura gasped. "But we can't perform without you!"

"The cheerleading club can still dance to the instrumental by the concert band-"

"But it won't be the same!" Sakura reached out and grabbed Tomoyo's hands. "Don't worry! I'm going to capture it, I promise. Just go on ahead to the field and line up as usual, okay?"

"But what about you? The cheerleading club is practicing with us too-"

"I'll take care of it and be back in time. Just trust me."

Tomoyo was quiet for a moment and then finally nodded. "I'll trust you with it, then. Please, Sakura-chan, do your best."

Sakura beamed. "I will!"

She kept that smile as she watched the rest of the choir club walk out. The teacher followed, glancing over at Sakura and her cheerleading uniform, and motioning her to follow. She flinched and pointed down the hall toward the girls' restroom, and he nodded and continued on.

Sakura made a dash around the corner, and once she was out of sight, she pulled out her staff and cards again.

"They'll get suspicious if I don't show up and get in position. _Mirror Card!_ Please, help me out by taking my place on the field! MIRROR!"

Mirror appeared in Sakura's form, matched exactly down to the finest details of the cheerleading uniform. Kero flew up to her, examining her and looking back at Sakura. "Is this really okay? What if you don't make it back down in time and they start dancing while Mirror is still standing with them?"

"It's okay, Kerberos!" Mirror answered before Sakura could. "The cards have been with Sakura every day while she's been practicing. I know all the choreography, and my magical strength will be more than enough to support her teammates in the stunts."

Sakura clapped her hands together. "Thank you _so_ much! I can always count on you for so much, I can't fully express my thanks…"

"Don't worry about it," Mirror said, running off back down the hall. "I'm happy to stand in Sakura's place! We're all happy to have new friends, so please do your best to purify this card too!"

Sakura waved until Mirror was out of sight and then heaved a sigh. "Stephen," she began, "if the choir club moved outside, that part of the card must have followed them, right?"

"Not necessarily," Stephen answered. "All it needs is the ability to view the people that it is influencing. Because of that, any of the windows that overlook the field would be suitable."

Sakura looked back and forth, up and down the hallway. "So the classrooms… it could be in any one of them."

"Try using the other parts of the card," Stephen suggested. "With no one for them to attack, they will be attracted to the part of themselves that _is_ attacking."

"Ah!" Sakura reached into the bag and pulled out the bubble that held the portions of the card. Most of them had calmed down by that point, sitting and pouting. Sakura held the bubble up, carefully watching their movements. "Alright, find me your last companion."

They didn't seem to respond at first, several of them turning away with a ' _hmph!_ ' However, after a moment of silence, they started to perk up and fly in one direction. Sakura followed, walking down the hall using the creatures' movements as a sort of compass. She had to be careful not to look suspicious- while the other students running about the hallway shouldn't be able to see the bubble, it was still suspicious of her to wander down the hallway looking like she wasn't sure where she was going. Finally, the creatures turned back, indicating one of the storage rooms toward the end of the hall before the stairwell. Sakura steeled her nerves and opened the door, feeling prepared for whatever was waiting for her on the other side.

Unfortunately, she wasn't ready for what she found.

"Oh. Kinomoto-san. I thought I saw you on the field. Don't tell me you've sent a Clow Card out to perform in your place?"

Sakura froze. "N-Noboru-sensei… what are you…?"

Noboru held up his hand to reveal the small creature perched on it, playing a strange, harp-like instrument. The ones in Sakura's bubble suddenly began to chatter, the musical tones of their voices rising as they recognized one of their own. Noboru looked them over for a moment and then sighed, shaking his head.

"What a shame, trapping them like that. Of course, I understand the need. The students here are working so hard, I'd hate to ruin their efforts. But to be held captive by a Clow Card… they must feel so humiliated." He held out his free hand. "Why don't you hand them over? I promise I'll call them off. As a teacher, I have a vested interest in my students' endeavors-"

" _No way!_ " Stephen jumped out of the bag and clambered up the side of the stacked desks so that he could speak with Noboru face to face. "She has eight parts of the card, and you only have one. _You_ should be the one to hand Erato over to _her_."

Noboru pressed his lips together, letting out a pensive hum. "I… think not. You aren't in any position to be making demands, you know."

"What is that supposed to mean-?" Stephen growled, but Sakura got what Noboru was saying.

" _The choir club!_ " she gasped. "They're about to sing! Please, Sensei, you've got to call off the card. If this practice goes poorly, they won't be able to sing for the performance tomorrow!"

"I'm sorry. I cannot do that."

"B-but-!" Sakura clutched the bubble close to her chest. "They've been practicing for months! This is the last culture festival for the third-years too. If they can't perform, then-"

"You misunderstand, Kinomoto-san." Noboru held his hand up as he interrupted her. "I have befriended this portion of the card by singing a song that I learned from Warp Neon's memories. But it does not recognize me as its master and will not obey me if I tell it to stop. I must have the full card in order to perform my incantation and reclaim it as my own. I would gladly call it off if I could. But that requires your cooperation."

Stephen ground his teeth. The fur on his back was beginning to stand on end. "If you don't want to let the choir club suffer, then give the card over to Sakura-sama to be purified!"

There was a silence, and Noboru considered it.

"...no."

"Wha-?" Kero gasped, flying over to the desk where Stephen was standing so that he could back him up. "You'd let all of your students' hard work go to waste?!"

Noboru just laughed. "Understand, Kerberos, that my _own creation_ , the Muse Card, is working hard too. Why would I let _its_ hard work go to waste? The students will be disappointed, yes, but they will move on and find other creative outlets. Muse, well, this is what it was _created_ to do. If Kinomoto-san gives me the rest of the card, I will call it off out of gratitude for the work she's done in collecting the pieces. But if she doesn't, why should I hand _my_ creation over to her?"

Stephen was about to yell back, but Kero stepped in front of him. "They're _not_ your creations, though. You aren't Warp Neon. Just because you have his memories doesn't make you him. Shouldn't you be living your own life?"

For the first time since Sakura had met him, Noboru appeared to lose his cool. "Shouldn't you be MINDING your own BUSINESS instead of _STEALING other people's CARDS?!"_

The room went dead silent, all except for the noise of the band warming up on the field below drifting through the open window. Noboru stepped back, sighing and running his free hand through his hair in an attempt to regain his composure.

"In any case, this is Kinomoto-san's decision to make. The band is almost finished warming up, so time is of the essence. What will you do?"

Kero inched back over the desk toward her. " _Sakura!_ " he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. "Ya gotta do _something_!"

"They're testing the microphones. It looks like Daidouji-san is about to sing," Noboru observed. "Will you abandon the choir club, Kinomoto-san? Will you abandon your _friend_?"

"Quit it!" Stephen barked. "No matter what you say, Sakura-sama will never submit to you-"

" _Shield, Bubble, that's enough. Release them._ "

Kero and Stephen spun around just in time to see Sakura's bubble disappear and the pieces of Muse break free. They giggled and chattered as they rejoined their companion by Noboru's side, and he didn't hesitate in chanting his own incantation.

" _Creatures of chaos, disruptors of peace, the son of Poseidon commands thee to cease; let the winds of your destruction be still: surrender thyself unto thy master's will. WARP CARD."_

All nine of the creatures began to glow and finally coalesced into a single form, returning to the shape of a card and landing in Noboru's hand. He nodded and placed the card in his pocket.

"A fine decision, Kinomoto-san. You truly are a good friend."

Sakura rushed over to the window, passing him by as he exited the room. She listened, hearing the band play the first three measures of introduction, and then Tomoyo's clear, beautiful voice coming through on the sound system.

" _Life is a fast-paced dance; rhythms change as the times advance. As we keep moving on, our past grows hard to see_ - _"_

There was some feedback on the microphone, and a commotion followed as those responsible for the audio system worked out the problems amongst themselves. Sakura turned around again, satisfied that the choir was back to normal, and dashed toward the hallway.

"S-Sakura-sama!" Stephen called. "Where are you-?"

"I have to go switch places with Mirror! You guys stay and watch from here. I'll come back for you later, okay?"

The two guardian beasts watched her go, closing the door behind her, and then turned to one another. Stephen frowned, clutching his paw into a fist in frustration.

"Kerberos, why… why did she do that? Why did she let _him_ take the card? And why did you stand by and do nothing?!"

"Whaddya mean, why did she do that?" Kero replied, leaning in. "She did it for her _friends_ , genius!"

"Her…?"

"Look, if you think Sakura was just gonna throw her best friend under the bus for the sake of potentially getting some magical card, you don't _know_ Sakura." Kero flew over and perched on the windowsill. "Yes, she agreed to purify the Warp Cards, and yes, she genuinely wants to do that. But Sakura wouldn't let her friends suffer for her own selfish reasons. If the choir club doesn't sing, it not only affects Tomoyo but all the other members of the choir club as well as the cheerleading and band clubs that have to perform without them. Haven't you heard the song they're performing? It's all about moving forward, chasing your dreams with the people you love. Without the words, the band is just playing a tune and the cheerleaders are just doin' some fancy footwork. Sakura sacrificed her chance at purifying this card to help others. That's what makes her _Sakura_. And if you can't accept that… maybe you shouldn't have asked her to be the new master for the Warp Cards in the first place."

Stephen was quiet, looking down at the desk underneath his paws. There was a split second of magical energy that passed so quickly that he almost didn't notice it. He looked up, and see his curious stare, Kero explained.

"That felt like the Time Card. Sakura must've used it to swap places with Mirror without anyone noticing. It's probably a good thing she didn't purify the card, then- using Time takes a lot out of her, and she'd never have the energy after creating a new Sakura Card."

Stephen took another few moments to think it over and then sighed in resignation. He hopped up onto the bookshelf on the wall, scurrying along the shelf to reach the windowsill and hopping over to join Kero. The joint practice had started, and the sound of the band and choir together was echoing around the field. Seeing the coordinated movements of the cheerleaders on the stage brought a soft smile to Stephen's face, and he sat down next to Kero.

"I understand," he murmured, so quietly that Kero could barely hear him over the music.

"Wha-?"

"I understand Sakura-sama's point of view. And while I'm not happy with how events turned out today… her love for her friends is _exactly_ why I want her to be the master of the Warp Cards."

Kero sighed and nodded.

"That's why I chose her too."

* * *

It was a chilly night on Sunday, but with the lights and the dancing, Sakura didn't even feel it. Her strong, even breaths clouded into condensation in the air around her as she followed the choreography, moving in tandem with her teammates. She had been so moved by Syaoran's performance in the play earlier that afternoon, she couldn't help but give her all, especially as she saw him in the crowd with an ear to ear smile.

The pace of the dance slowed a little with the trumpet solo that signaled the bridge of the song- and the time for the stunts. Her eyes focused on her teammates, and her mind focused solely on the choreography.

" _When our ship comes sailing into the shore…"_ Half-turn. High V. " _...and we sail on to worlds we've never been before…_ " About face. Low V. "... _then, will the distance we face…_ " Circle up. Get in position. "... _be so small we can embrace…_ " Mount. Support the flyer's weight. Stay as still as possible. "... _when I close my eyes, it all comes to me, I almost can see-_ "

And then- dismount, transitioning smoothly back into the chorus choreography. There was a peal of applause as the flyers dismounted, and Sakura caught sight of a smile that passed between the flyer and the spotter of her group. She smiled at Chiharu in turn. The arguments from yesterday morning felt like a bad dream, washed away by the electric energy of the dance.

Syaoran, meanwhile, didn't realize how much he was smiling. The song came to an end, the cheerleaders struck their final pose, and he felt a nudge against his arm as the applause died down.

"That was pretty fantastic. You and Kinomoto-chan could win an award for most coordinated couple, y'know?"

Syaoran looked up in surprise. "Izumi-senpai! I didn't get to see you after the curtain call, there were so many people. You did so well-"

"I've got you to thank for that. The sword fight would never have been as impressive as it was without your insight and skill. You could make a career out of stage combat, I think. You've definitely got the ability."

Syaoran felt his face start to redden from more than just the chill in the air. "I'd, uh, really rather be an expert in _real_ combat, I think."

He realized a split second after the statement had left his mouth that it might've been an insensitive thing to say to someone who was devoted to theater. But to his relief, Saya laughed.

"So you're a fighter, not a lover, huh?"

Syaoran looked away in embarrassment, stealing a glance at the stage where Sakura was taking a bow with an exhausted-but-thrilled smile on her face. It warmed his heart, and he couldn't fight a smile.

"I fight _because_ there are things I love… things I want to protect."


	11. Sakura and A Language Barrier

Thank you so much for your patience with the delays. My writing partner and I have both been working a lot lately, him with a new job and me with a new project, and trying to coordinate editing work is more difficult than we'd like. But we're thrilled that people are enjoying the story, and we hope you continue to enjoy it moving forward. As usual, we don't own anything, we're just some fans writing some fiction. Thanks again!

* * *

 **11- Sakura and a Language Barrier**

As Sakura made her way down the sidewalk, she could hear Kero and Stephen chatting away from inside her bag. It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day, but even the crunching of the leaves underfoot couldn't drown out the chatter of the two beasts. Sakura glanced down and frowned, unzipping her bag.

"- _can't wait to see Suppi's face when I show him this-!_ "

"Kero-chan, you're too loud. My friends will be waiting for me at the bus stop ahead. What if they hear you?"

Stephen broke in with an apology before Kero could protest. "We're very sorry, Sakura-sama. We will keep our voices down until we reach Eriol-sama's house."

Sakura sighed. "You're not the one I'm worried about, but…"

"It'll be fine." Kero winked and then dove back into the bag, zipping it back up over himself and Stephen. "Ya won't even know we're here!" he called, his voice muffled by the fabric.

"Yelling at me from inside the bag isn't exactly reassuring…"

She turned the corner and saw the bus stop up ahead, the group of kids standing beside it turned and waved.

"Sakura-chan!" Chiharu called. "You made it on time!"

"What, you thought I'd be late?"

"Kinomoto always makes it just in time," Yamazaki added pointing to the bus that was just pulling up. Tomoyo giggled.

"Punctuality is one of Sakura-chan's specialties, after all."

Sakura let out a sigh as she joined her friends in boarding the bus. Tomoyo took the seat beside her, leaning over to look at the bag she was carrying.

"You've got some hitchhikers along for the ride, huh?"

"Kero-chan wanted to play games with Spinel while we were visiting, so I brought him and Stephen. I'm sure the house is big enough that they won't cause any suspicion while we're studying."

Tomoyo smiled and sat back. "I'm sure it'll be fine. It's good for them to get out once in a while for a non-magical reason-"

"Kinomoto, Daidouji," Yamazaki stood up from the seat behind them, perching on the back of their seats so that they could hear him better, "you've been to Hiiragizawa's house before, right? What's it like? Does it really have twenty bedrooms and twenty-five bathrooms?"

"Huh?" Sakura flinched at the sudden interruption. "Why would it have more bathrooms than bedrooms? What kind of house is that?"

"It may not have quite that many," Tomoyo offered, "but it's still pretty big. Hiiragizawa said that all four guest rooms were filled this week."

"Then is it really okay for us to intrude like this?" Rika asked from across the aisle. "You didn't impose when you asked for his help, did you, Yamazaki-kun?"

"What?" Yamazaki held up his hands. "I would never! Hiiragizawa said he'd be happy to help us with our English projects!"

"Yeah, I heard him over the phone," Chiharu nodded. "He said it wasn't fair for us to always ask Li-kun."

"Right?" Yamazaki nodded. "And anyway, Hiiragizawa's English is even better than Li's English-"

" _Young man in the back, please remain seated while the bus is moving!_ "

The girls giggled as Yamazaki settled back down, and Kero unzipped the bag to peek his head out ever-so-slightly. "Say, is there a reason the kid couldn't come with us today?" he whispered.

"Syaoran has been overwhelmed lately," Sakura answered, her cheerful expression fading. It hurt to think about, considering that his research into Clow Reed's past was for the sake of her and the Warp Cards, but he had made her promise not to feel guilty. "He collapsed yesterday during gym class, and the nurse said he was sleep deprived. He'd promised Yamazaki that he'd help us with our English projects this week, but we told him to rest. That's why Yamazaki contacted Eriol-kun."

Kero crossed his arms. "I see," he whispered. "The poor kid. Even with the drama club's play off his shoulders, he's still pushin' himself too hard."

"Sakura-sama?" Stephen asked. "After we finish at Eriol-sama's house, may we go visit Li Syaoran-sama? Not for long so as not to bother him, but simply to wish him well."

"Huh? W-well, he's supposed to be resting, so…"

"I think it'd be a good idea for you to go," Tomoyo offered. "He should be resting most of the day today, so a visit from Sakura-chan in the evening should be the perfect thing to raise his spirits."

"Hooray!" Stephen chimed, though Kero slapped his paws over Stephen's mouth to quiet him down.

"Sakura-chan?" Naoko looked across the aisle. "What was that?"

Sakura laughed nervously. "N-nothing! Just playing a game on my phone!"

* * *

As Sakura and her friends settled in the library, Sakura handed off her bag to Nakuru- a present for her "cat," she'd called it. Nakuru eagerly carried it up the stairs, unzipping it as she did so to let Kero and Stephen out.

"Nakuruby!" Stephen gasped, and jumped onto her shoulder to offer his form of an embrace.

"Stephen~!" she chimed back, nuzzling him with her cheek.

Kero looked up at the two of them for a long moment in silence, watching the affectionate display until he finally got fed up and offered a sarcastic " _Kerberos!_ " in response. Nakuru laughed at the sound of his voice as she reached the second-floor landing and rounded the corner to her room.

"Aw, we wouldn't forget about you either, Kero-chan. Suppi has been so excited to see you, he talked about it all last night-"

"I did _no such thing_. Stop spreading such uncouth rumors about me, Ruby Moon."

Inside the room, Spinel was perched on the windowsill with a thick book. He hadn't even looked up from his reading to speak, but his annoyed expression came through in his voice.

"Aw, Suppi, don't be so cold!" Kero grabbed a video game case from the bag and flew over to the windowsill, holding it behind his back. "I told ya I brought a surprise, didn't I? Guess what it is?"

Spinel looked up and his posture immediately went stiff. "I can see it behind you… i-is that…the new Zylon Warriors game that isn't set to be released until next month?"

Kero pulled the game from behind him and held it up proudly. "You'd better believe it! An early access copy, courtesy of the Daidouji tech company!"

"Aw, Suppi, isn't that wonderful?" Nakuru chimed. "You loved that old Zylon Warriors game!"

Spinel turned his face away. "I-I wouldn't say that I _loved_ it. I did play it, yes, but I found the story lacking in substance and the controls and battle system rather clumsy."

Kero sighed a loud, over-dramatic sigh. "I guess that means ya wouldn't be interested in bootin' it up and givin' her a whirl, then? Shame."

"I…" Spinel seemed to pause for a moment, his voice hitching as he spoke. "...I really don't care either way. You may play it, but do not involve me."

Kero scurried over to the television, powering on the game system. "Well, alright then. If you don't care, then you won't care about me opening my current save file and picking up where I left off thirty hours into the game-"

" _S-S-SPOILERS, KERBEROS!_ "

Nakuru laughed, and Spinel's face blushed a deep red under his fur.

"I… suppose… it would be best to start from the beginning…"

As Kero and Spinel started up the game, Nakuru set Stephen down on the bed and plopped down beside him. "So~!" she began, resting her head in her hands. "What do you want to do today, Stephen? Do you want to play with them too?"

"Actually, I…" Stephen glanced over to where Kero and Spinel were sitting, enraptured by the prologue of the game. "...I thought, perhaps, I'd ask you to show me around your lovely home. If it would not be too much of an inconvenience, of course-"

"A house tour? Sounds awesome!" Nakuru sat up on her knees and scooped Stephen up again. "All the guest rooms are occupied and Sakura-chan and her friends are in the library, but I can toootally show you the rest of the house! You're gonna love it! Should we start in the basement and go up, or on the third floor and go down-"

The game music cut off suddenly as Spinel hit the 'pause' button. "Please, Ruby Moon, quiet your chatter! I'm trying to immerse myself in this piece of media and you're making it very difficult."

Nakuru pouted. "Kick me out of my own room, will you?"

"Only because Eriol and his friends kicked _me_ out of the library-"

"S-Stop fighting, you two!" Stephen interrupted. "Nakuruby is going to give me a tour of the house, so we will be taking our leave as requested. We apologize for disturbing your game. It _is_ a wonderful story, is it not?"

Spinel glanced away. "I've learned never to judge a story by its prologue, but… it _is_ an interesting premise…"

Nakuru bade farewell to Kero and Spinel and closed the door behind her as she and Stephen exited into the hallway. Nakuru stretched out her hand for Stephen to hop down onto. "Alright, buddy, you lead the way! Tell me what you want to see."

"Huh? W-well, I…" Stephen pressed his paws together, his ears drooping. "The truth is, it is not necessarily a tour I am after. I would like to ask a favor of you."

"A favor? Like what?"

"I wish to know if there are any archives compiled by Clow Reed that would give some insight into his life in Hong Kong. Specifically, I am curious about his relationship with his cousin Li Xiaohe, and the existence of Xiaohe's daughter, Li Lian."

Nakuru frowned, thinking it over. "Why don't you ask Kerberos and Yue?"

"I have spoken with Kerberos and Yue, but their memories are different from mine. Kerberos says that perhaps my memories have been altered, and Yue believes I am lying. If I am to prove to them that Li Lian actually existed, I will need… well, _proof_."

"Hmm." Nakuru closed her eyes. "Yue has always been a stubborn one, that's for sure. If you want to convince him, you'll need some pretty hard evidence." She opened her eyes again, smiled, and nodded. "Okay, then! I've got just the thing to help you out! Anything to prove Yue wrong!"

Stephen covered his mouth with one paw to stifle a nervous giggle. "Um, I suppose your enthusiasm is admirable, even if your motivation is not so much so… I am grateful to you, Ruby Moon-sama. Please, take me to this resource you speak of-"

" _Oh, you are just soooo cute!_ " Nakuru squeezed Stephen into a hug so tight that he couldn't even finish his sentence. She bounded down the hallway, eventually reaching a closed door on the back side of the house. "In here," she said, opening the door. The room was dark and windowless, so it was hard to see what was inside. Stephen leaned over Nakuru's arm, trying to get a better look.

"This is…?"

"This space was meant to be an office, but Clow Reed always just kept old photos and journals in here," Nakuru said, flipping the light switch. A low glow illuminated the room, bringing into view walls of file folders and albums. "These are personal things that Clow preferred to keep out of the library, but I don't think Eriol would mind if you looked through them. Clow isn't around to get angry at you, after all."

Stephen frowned. "It… still feels like somewhat of an imposition…"

"Then why don't I go through them and you watch? Then you wouldn't be doing anything wrong!"

"I would be complicit, however…" Stephen sighed. "...it seems my curiosity outweighs my conscience in this situation. Yes, let us go through the archives together."

" _Yay!_ " Nakuru clapped her hands, diving in and pulling albums from the shelves seemingly at random. "I'll look at this one and this one and this one too-!"

"N-Nakuruby! Remember the time period we are interested in! It would be the early 1870's, specifically 1871, when Li Lian was born... or stillborn, as Kerberos and Yue claim."

"Oh, right, right. Let's see."

It took a while for the two to find what they were looking for. There seemed to be no order or sense in the way the items were arranged, with albums and journals from completely different time periods and about completely different subjects placed next to one another. Some of the albums and journals had not aged well, and while they appeared to be old enough, none was from before the 1920s. Finally, Nakuru moved to the back of the room and pulled out a small journal that was almost hidden behind two thick photo albums.

"Stephen, Stephen, come here! This journal is dated 1875."

Stephen had been looking at a photo album from 1958 of the building of Tokyo Tower, but immediately set it aside once he heard the excitement in Nakuru's voice. She opened the journal to a page in the middle, but as soon as she did so, both she and Stephen froze.

"Wh-what's with this…?" Nakuru murmured, pressing her hand to the page. "Why is it all crossed out?"

"It is not _all_ crossed out," Stephen said, jumping down to stand on the page. "But many of the words are. Was this book perhaps vandalized after Clow Reed's death?"

"I don't think so." Nakuru shook her head. "I can't imagine who would've gone to the trouble. Clow Reed must have done it himself."

"But why…?"

Stephen stepped off the page, and Nakuru began carefully flipping through the journal. The pages were stiff and seemed like they might break in her hands, but as she turned one of the pages, a loose piece of paper fell out. She dropped the book and reached for the loose paper, turning it over in her hand and letting out a gasp.

"Whoa! It's really Clow Reed…"

"What? A photo? L-let me see!" Stephen scrambled up her sleeve and onto her shoulder. He looked down at the photograph but was so stricken with surprise that he couldn't say anything. It showed Clow Reed, just as Nakuru had said, looking exactly how Stephen had remembered him when they last met. The appearance of the portrait suggested it had probably been taken in the 1870s when Clow had written the journal, but it was in remarkably good condition- likely because it had been closed up in the journal so long. The most fascinating part of the photo, however, was not Clow Reed himself.

It was the child sitting on his lap.

"Is that the girl you were talking about?" Nakuru asked. "Li Lian?"

"I… I…"

Stephen couldn't even get any words out. In the meantime, Nakuru turned the card over and examined the back for any kind of label that might give names and dates. It was unfortunately blank, so she turned it back over and handed it to Stephen. His paws were shaking as he accepted it and hopped back onto the floor to get a better look.

"...I only saw Lian once, and only as an infant. I cannot say with complete confidence that this is her. But if this photo was taken in 1875, as the journal suggests, then the girl pictured here would be the right age. Not only that, but her smile looks so much like Chioni's, down to the creases in her cheeks and those dimples…"

"Lian was half Chinese, just like Clow, right?"

"Yes. Chinese on her father's side and French on her mother's- though Chioni's grandfather was Greek, and she had dark, wavy hair just like him. Wavy hair is not commonly found in China, or at least not during that time. Yet this little girl's hair looks like Chioni's. That cannot be a coincidence."

Nakuru sat back, closing the journal and setting it aside. "If that really is Lian in the picture, then it would disprove what Kerberos told you about her being stillborn. She lived at least into childhood, and was close enough to Clow Reed to actually have a portrait taken with him."

"Nakuruby," Stephen began again, "do you believe that Eriol-sama would know who this is?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he does! I could take it down to him and ask."

"Would that interrupt his and Sakura-sama's study session?"

Nakuru hopped to her feet, slipping the photo in her shirt pocket. "I'm sure they could use a break by now! I'll take it downstairs. You wanna sit in my pocket and play stuffed animal?"

"Yes, I suppose I shall."

* * *

"It's good. Simplicity is always best in these cases." Eriol smiled as he reviewed Rika's paper. "I would suggest only a few minor changes. Such as here- try placing the prepositional phrase at the front of the sentence rather than at the end. It'll sound more natural if you vary your sentence structure."

"I see." Rika took her paper back and started erasing part of it. "So that'll make it _In the box, I found a cat._ "

"Yes, that sounds perfect-"

"Erioooooool~!"

The door to the library burst open, and the students jumped as Nakuru came bounding in. Sakura looked up, noticing Stephen sitting in her shirt pocket. She frowned, unsure what to expect from the interruption. The study session had been going so well, she had almost forgotten that Kero and Stephen were upstairs.

 _Oh boy… now what?_

Eriol looked up, his smile not wavering. "Do you need something, Nakuru?"

Nakuru hopped over to lean against the back of Eriol's chair. "I found this suuuper old photo upstairs, and I was wondering if you know who this little girl is."

At the sound of the question, Eriol's smile faded. He reached up and took the photo from her so that he could examine it. He adjusted his glasses, but as soon as he got a good look, his smile returned.

"Would you believe that this is one of Li-kun's ancestors?"

At the sound of that statement, Sakura's friends jumped up and moved around to get a look at the photo as well. " _Li-kun's family?_ " " _No way!_ " _"I wanna see!_ "

As much as she didn't want to crowd Eriol, Sakura was curious. She had to stand behind the chair, so she hopped up onto the tips of her toes in order to see over the back. When Nakuru had said "little girl," she hadn't expected to find Clow Reed in the image. But there he was, seated with his signature smile, holding what looked like a little girl in his lap. Eriol was right, the child did remind her of Syaoran in a way. Something about the facial features made her think of Syaoran, and she couldn't help a smile.

"That girl is so cute-"

"He's actually a boy," Eriol interrupted, tapping the photograph. "That child is Li-kun's great-great-grandfather, Li Baoyi."

" _Whaaaa-t?!_ "

The expression of surprise from Sakura's classmates was loud, but Sakura could swear she heard Stephen's voice in there somewhere. Still, no one seemed to notice, and Chiharu spoke up again.

"But then what's with that dress?"

"Oh, oh!" Yamazaki raised his hand. "I know this one! You see, back in the 1800s, parents used to dress young children in what we today would consider _feminine_ clothing, regardless of their gender."

"What? That doesn't sound right-"

"It's true," Eriol broke in. "The idea of children's clothing being gendered is a relatively modern phenomenon. Even today, there are children who don't discover their gender until they grow older. Gender identity is a strange and complicated matter, and the idea that certain clothing can only be worn by one specific gender is too simple an idea to be put into practice. Isn't that right, Nakuru?"

Eriol handed the picture back to Nakuru, and she slipped it into her pocket next to Stephen again. "Totally! Thanks for the info, Eriol!"

"It's not a problem. If you have any more questions about photos, let me know. I'll be happy to tell you about them."

The group watched her leave and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Tomoyo tapped her on the shoulder and whispered: "was that Stephen in her pocket?"

"Yeah," Sakura whispered back with a nod. "I wonder what that was all about..."

"-Sakura-san? Are you ready to practice reading your assignment?"

"Huh? O-oh!" The sound of Eriol's voice brought Sakura back to her senses, and she gripped the paper she was holding. "Yes, that's right! Here goes…"

* * *

" _Come in! The door's open!_ "

When Sakura entered Syaoran's apartment, she found him sitting on the couch in the living room. He had muted the television, but it was still on and she snatched the remote to turn it off completely.

"Y-you're supposed to be in bed!"

"The nurse didn't say bed specifically, she just said to rest," Syaoran protested. "And it's not like I'm doing any work. I'm just watching TV."

"Still! You should be sleeping."

"I just can't sleep anymore… and I'm bored…"

Kero poked his head out of Sakura's bag. "Heh, not so fun to be on the _other_ side of an overprotective relationship, huh, kid?"

Sakura and Syaoran both blushed a bright red. "I-I'm sorry…" Sakura began. "...I know I shouldn't worry so much, I just want you to feel better…"

"N-no, after what happened, it's only natural that you'd worry about me… I know I'd say the same thing if I were in your shoes… so…"

" _Just kiss already!_ "

"Sh-sh-shut up, stuffed animal!"

Sakura giggled. "Well, if you have the energy to argue with Kero-chan, then I guess you're feeling better after all."

Syaoran sighed and leaned back on the couch, resting his hands behind his head. "I'm sorry to have worried you, Sakura. I didn't realize how hard I'd been pushing myself lately with school and the play and research… no matter how much of the family's archives I go through, there's just nothing about Warp Neon. After what happened at the Culture Festival, I doubled- no, _tripled_ \- my research efforts just to make sure we don't lose another card to Noboru-sensei. This isn't like when you and I were fighting for the Clow Cards, knowing that one of us would become the master of all of them in the end. The cards we lose to Noboru, we may have lost forever. And no matter what he says about caring for your wellbeing, he could very well use them against you someday…"

While Syaoran had been speaking, Kero had fluttered over to perch on Sakura's shoulder. Once Syaoran's voice trailed off, Kero leaned over and tugged on his ear, eliciting a yell from Syaoran.

"Ow! H-hey, what gives?"

"I know you've been home alone for a while with nothin' but yer thoughts, but you can't let yourself get so down. Sure, it's good to learn from your mistakes, but if you let 'em send you into a spiral of regret, you'll just end up gettin' careless again."

Syaoran flinched and pulled away. "I-I know that already! I just don't want to let Noboru get another card, is all."

"None of us wants that," Sakura assured him. "Right, Stephen?"

There was a pause, and suddenly a clatter from in the kitchen caught their attention. Sakura shot to her feet, her hand flying to her key.

"S-Stephen…?"

" _Oh, Sakura-sama! My apologies!_ "

Stephen came scurrying back around the corner, and Sakura heaved a sigh. "What was that all about? When did you go to the kitchen?"

"Just now. I thought I would make some tea for Li Syaoran-sama to help him feel better, but…" Stephen laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with one paw. "I'm afraid I cannot figure out how to light the hearth."

Syaoran let out a frustrated sigh. "The stovetop's electric, as is the kettle. And I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't need any tea. Don't just go through other people's stuff without asking, okay?"

"Yes, Li Syaoran-sama. I am very sorry." Stephen perked up again, hopping up onto the low table to more easily converse with them. "What was it you were asking me, Sakura-sama?"

"Oh, I was just saying that we can't let Noboru-sensei get any more of the cards."

"Yes! Naturally! Oh Sakura-sama, I am so glad you feel the same way!"

The conversation continued, straying into other topics such as friends and school assignments, particularly the one that Eriol had been helping Sakura and her friends with that morning. Sakura and Syaoran compared theirs, and Syaoran said he needed to thank Eriol for helping everyone out in his absence. Sakura did make some tea eventually, and the two spent a few minutes just watching television and enjoying each other's company. By about 4:30, however, the sun had begun to set, and Sakura offered a fond farewell before packing up her things and heading home. Syaoran walked her out and watched from the balcony until she was out of sight. Satisfied, he slipped back inside and locked the door behind him.

There wasn't much around in the way of food, but he still had rice and some leftovers in the fridge. He opened the cabinet to retrieve a plate, but as he did so, he noticed some sort of paper lodged in the crack of the door. Curious, he pulled it out and turned it over to examine it. It was stiff and brittle, feeling like it might crack in his grip if he held it too hard. But the image on the front side was clear- and it sent a chill up his spine.

 _Clow Reed?!_

But Clow was not the only one in the photo. A small child was seated in Clow's lap, sporting a bright, cheerful smile. Syaoran had examined old pictures of his family before, but he wasn't familiar with this child. Who was that, anyway?

And more importantly…

 _Where did this picture come from?_

* * *

"[ _Great job,_ Kinomoto. _Thank you very much_.]"

Sakura practically collapsed onto her desk once she returned from the front of the room, Miller-sensei's words echoing in her head with a sense of relief. _Great job, great job_. Tomoyo giggled.

"Don't be so dramatic, Sakura-chan," she whispered. "You did wonderfully."

"I wish I could be so confident. My pronunciation was awful."

Syaoran, sitting behind her, was still practicing his assignment. Earlier that morning, he'd been working with Sakura on his pronunciation of the 'th' sound, and she could still hear him struggling with it. "[ _...and listened… to the sound… the sound… the, the…_ ] _"_

"Don't worry, Syaoran-kun," Sakura whispered. "Even if you do speak English, Miller-sensei doesn't expect your pronunciation to be perfect."

Syaoran looked up at her briefly, but he didn't say anything and returned to his practice. It didn't take long for the class to get around to him, and when his name was called, he marched stiffly up to the front. Sakura offered a wave and a smile, and it seemed to calm him slightly. He cleared his throat and then read off the page.

But something was off.

It _was_ Syaoran's voice, but at the same time, it wasn't. He was reading quickly and fluidly, his effortless pronunciation sounding less to Sakura like the Syaoran she knew and more like the actors from those British dramas that Stephen was always watching. It was perfect- and something wasn't right about that.

"[ _I stood on the dock and listened to the sound of the ocean. A boat appeared on the horizon, and a boy waved to me from the deck. He had a smile on his face and a glow around his body. I waved back at him, a smile on my face as well._ ] _"_

The whole class applauded, causing Syaoran to blush and look down at his paper again. "Great use of compound sentences," Miller-sensei commented. "[ _Well done._ ]"

Syaoran returned to his seat, barely glancing up to see Sakura's encouraging smile. The class continued with the remaining students each reading their own assignments, and Miller-sensei assigned a reading from the textbook for their homework that night just as the bell rang for lunch.

"I was so nervous!" Sakura was the first to stand up, leaning against her desk with a sigh of relief.

"You did just fine, Sakura-chan. Everyone else was just as nervous as you were."

"Really? You were nervous too, Tomoyo-chan?"

Tomoyo nodded. "No matter how many times I perform in front of an audience, it's always nerve-wracking to know that my performance is being judged." She turned to look at Syaoran. "A member of the drama club knows exactly what that's like, right, Syaoran-kun?"

Syaoran jerked his head up from his desk as he heard his name, looking up to Tomoyo with a puzzled expression. He didn't say anything, however, putting a hand against the side of his head. Seeing his pained expression sent a pang of concern through Sakura's chest, and she leaned in closer.

"Syaoran? Are you alright? Does your head hurt?"

He stared back at her, his expression blank. She waited for a reply, but he didn't give any- instead, he just stood up, grabbing his school bag to take with him.

"[ _I'm going… to the nurse…_ ]"

"Huh? Syaoran, wait!" Sakura ran after him, trying not to draw attention as she dodged classmates that were heading outside to lunch. "What did you say? You're going where-?"

Tomoyo caught up to him first, grabbing hold of his arm. "If you're going to the nurse, do you want us to walk you there?"

Syaoran turned back to look at her, a sense of fear coming through in his eyes. "[ _I'm sorry… I don't understand…_ ]"

"What are you sorry for? Just speak normally-" Sakura began, but Tomoyo waved her hand and broke in, speaking slow but understandable English.

"[ _You can't understand Japanese?_ ]"

His eyes lit up as he recognized her words. "[ _I can't! I don't know what's going on. I mean, I feel physically fine, but I can't understand anything that anyone is saying. Am I going crazy? Am I having a stroke-?_ ]"

"[ _S-slow down!_ ]" Tomoyo broke in. "[ _Talk_ simple.] Or, better yet, let's try something else…"

Tomoyo dug into her pocket, retrieving her cell phone and navigating through her apps. She pressed a few buttons, typed a quick message, and then handed the phone over to Syaoran, pointing to a text box on the screen. The message she'd written in Japanese had been translated into English below, instructing him to write his own messages there. Syaoran nodded and took a moment to write, then handed the phone back over to Tomoyo. Sakura looked over to read what he'd written too.

"He can't understand what we're saying at all? How is that even possible? He's been speaking Japanese since he was a kid."

"Sometimes severe stress can cause people to revert back to their native language," Tomoyo offered, "but English _isn't_ his native language."

"Oh! Try translating something to Chinese and see if he can read it."

Syaoran was watching their discussion with a frustrated grimace. His expression finally softened as Tomoyo handed him the phone again, but that didn't last long.

"[ _Do you understand this?_ ]" Tomoyo asked, pointing to the message in Chinese. Syaoran shook his head, and she sighed, turning back to Sakura. "This is strange indeed. What do you think has happened to him-?"

Syaoran grabbed the phone from her suddenly, typing another message into the box. He shoved it back to her, motioning Sakura to look at it as well. The translation didn't sound natural, but it still got the point across.

 _[Do you think it's a card?_ ]

* * *

Kero was taking a break from the new video game to join in a limited-time event on his favorite online mobile game instead. It was a relief to Stephen, who needed some time to be alone with his thoughts. The conversation with Eriol before had given him a lot to consider, and the more he thought about it, the more things made sense… and didn't.

Around noon, Kero finally stopped playing to grab a snack from the kitchen downstairs. Stephen followed him, quietly padding down the stairs as he thought over how to broach the subject. He didn't have the photo anymore, so it wasn't like he could just slip it across the table and ask Kero about it. No, he didn't regret leaving it for Syaoran to find, but he'd have to find another way to bring up Baoyi and Lian… _tactfully_.

"Keroberos, you didn't tell me that Chioni's child was a boy."

Kero had just taken a big bite of pudding, and he almost choked. " _Y-y-h-h-guh-!_ " He set the spoon aside and took a moment to cough and clear his throat. "Where d'ya get off, just _sayin'_ things like that? Did Ruby Moon say somethin' to you yesterday? I already told ya, I've got no memories of the kid."

Stephen frowned and took a step back toward the edge of the table. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mention it so abruptly. But after what Nakuruby showed me yesterday, I realized... Chioni told me that, if she ever had a daughter, she would name her ' _Lian,_ ' written with the character for 'lotus.' After seeing the infant with no clear indication of gender and no official name yet, I assumed the child was female if only to put a name with the face. But the child I thought was Chioni's daughter was actually her _son_. His name was not Lian, it was _Baoyi_."

There was a pause. Kero set the spoon aside on the table and stood up on his hind legs to approach Stephen.

"What's that supposed to mean? You're not sayin' that Li Baoyi was…?"

"I saw a photograph yesterday at Eriol-sama's mansion. It showed Clow Reed with Li Baoyi when he was very young. It was unmistakable- his features made it clear that he was undoubtedly Chioni's son.

" _What_ features? I don't remember him resembling her…"

"You would not notice unless you looked closely, but his nose shape and the way his smile looks are unmistakable when seen in that light. And he had curly hair too, did he not? That was not a trait common in the Li family."

Kero frowned and sat back down, reaching for the spoon again. "...it's true he had wavy hair, but that ain't a surefire way to prove his relationship to her."

"But…" Stephen scurried around to sit opposite the pudding. "...you don't have to hide it any longer. Don't tell me you really still believe that he was stillborn-"

"Well I _know_ Baoyi lived to adulthood, but that doesn't change the fact that I was told Chioni's child died. Why tell us that if he didn't?"

Stephen's ears drooped. "...oh, I… I thought…"

"What, you thought I was lyin'? We're a team now and I wouldn't do that to ya, especially about somethin' this important."

"...right. I should have trusted you." Stephen looked down, tracing his paw along the tabletop absentmindedly. "But I cannot deny what I saw in that photograph. You, yourself, admit that he bore a resemblance, correct?"

Kero stuffed another bite of pudding into his mouth and gulped it down. "I mean, I get what you're sayin', but… where's this photograph of yours? Still at Eriol's place?"

Stephen shook his head. "I let it at Li Syaoran-sama's apartment. He has been doing research on the Li family history, so he might be able to match the photograph with later images of Li Baoyi-sama-"

"But you know what this means, don'tcha?"

The statement gave Stephen pause. "...huh?"

"The Li family prides itself on bein' the descendants of Clow Reed. But technically Baoyi was Clow Reed's first-cousin-once-removed, not his biological son. On the other hand, if what you're sayin' is true, then Baoyi would have been the great-grandson- _the direct descendant_ \- of Warp Neon. Tellin' the kid that he's the descendant of such a despicable sorcerer… is that really what ya want?"

"That…" Stephen frowned and then shook his head. "What does it matter who they're descended from? They have studied Clow Reed's magic all these years. They are rightfully _his_ descendants, no matter who else's blood they may carry-"

"Then why does it matter so much to you that he's _Chioni's_ great-great-great grandson?"

"B-b-because…" Stephen spluttered and then turned away. "Because Warp Neon never wanted a family, but Chioni _did_! She risked everything to betray him and dedicate herself to the Li family! And she _deserves_ to be remembered for that!"

There was a long moment of silence. Kero stared at Stephen and then finally took his eyes off of him again to shove the last of the pudding in his mouth. "...geez," he muttered as he swallowed it down, "damn it all, this serious talk has given the pudding a bitter aftertaste."

"I am sorry to have ruined your snack, Kerberos."

"Nah, if you'd interrupted me while I was playin', I'd have been even more upset." Kero moved the spoon over and hit Stephen on the head with the rounded end. "But I'd wait to celebrate about your sudden revelation, considering it raises more questions than it answers. If Baoyi really was Chioni's son, why lie to Yue and me about the circumstances of his birth? We helped raise him- Yue was like a second father to him. He called him 'Papa Yue' and everything."

"Hah… _Papa Yue_. That is adorable."

"There's still some reason that the Li family has erased Warp Neon from their records, and there's some reason that Warp Neon has been erased from Eriol's memories. Warp Neon was reincarnated somehow, even though he shouldn't'a been. Those can't have anything to do with a boy that grew up after Warp Neon died. It all has to go back to Clow Reed somehow."

"I know. I am not trying to solve those mysteries." Stephen rubbed the top of his head. "All I know is what I saw in that photograph. The only thing I care about is now is… was he happy?"

"Who?"

"Li Baoyi. Was he happy? Did he live a fulfilled life?"

The question finally managed to put a smile on Kero's face, though there was a sadness in his eyes. "...yeah, he was. He was very happy."

"Then that is all Chioni would have wanted… all that I could want. Thank you, Kerberos."

"Hey, don't look so sad, buddy! Lemme clean up, and I'll teach ya how to play this awesome game! I bet you'd be good at it. It's all about assemblin' a team to defeat a bunch of monsters, and ya gotta consider the monsters' elemental resistances as well as their assault types… an egghead like you would love it!"

"Egghead? What does that mean? My head is quite round-"

"See? That's just what I'm talkin' about! You'll get the hang of it in no time-!"

An electronic noise from upstairs cut off Kero's statement, and he and Stephen both turned to look toward the hallway. "...is that your phone, Kerberos?"

"Yeah. But who'd be callin' me at this hour? Sakura's the only one who calls, and she's at school. She'd only call if it were a real emergency."

As the words left his mouth, he realized what he was saying. He shot a glance over at Stephen, and the two immediately scrambled back towards Sakura's room for the phone.

* * *

Sakura and her friends ate what they could of their lunches as they discussed the situation and what they could do. Sakura agreed that she sensed a card, but had no idea what it was or where it might be hiding. There didn't seem to be anyone else affected by it as far as they could tell, but they knew its influence might spread if they didn't do something soon.

"I'm going to find someplace to call Stephen and Kero," Sakura said, pulling out her phone. "Maybe the back stairwell?"

"We'll go with you," Tomoyo replied, and wrote a short statement into the translator on her phone for Syaoran. He nodded and pointed to the hallway, so the three of them quickly packed up their lunches and headed out. Once they were sure they were alone in the stairwell, Sakura dialed Kero's number and waited for him to pick up.

But he didn't.

The call rang until eventually, the automatic voicemail picked up. " _Please leave a message after the tone-_ "

"Oh, Kero-chan, where are you when I need you?!" Sakura hung up and let out a sigh. "He must be downstairs eating that pudding I've been saving, that little glutton."

"Shouldn't Stephen have at least picked it up?" Tomoyo asked.

"Maybe, but I have a feeling that Kero-chan has been teaching him some bad habits lately… oh, here they are!" She clicked the phone to take the call, covering the side of her mouth so that her yell wouldn't reverb around the stairwell. "Where _were_ you guys? This is important!"

" _Aw, don't get so upset. We got back to ya in time, so what's the big deal_?"

"Were you eating my pudding again?"

" _Your pudding? N-no, of course not… hey! What're you callin' us for at this hour? Is there a problem?_ "

"Oh yeah, that's right." Sakura sighed. "Something weird is going on here. Syaoran started acting strangely during English class. It was like he somehow became fluent in English but completely forgot how to speak Japanese or even Chinese. He doesn't understand anything that anyone is saying, and we have to use an online translator just to talk to him-"

" _BABEL_!" Stephen's voice screeched through the phone. " _This is the work of the Babel Card, no question!_ "

"Babel?"

" _It references the ancient myth of the Tower of Babel and the creation of languages. It's said that long ago, all the peoples of the Earth spoke a single language. They formed a thriving civilization and decided that they were no longer content worshipping their God, but would build a great tower that stretched all the way to heaven and become gods themselves. Their God, angry with their arrogance, punished them by giving them all different languages so that they could no longer communicate and collaborate with one another. Warp Neon created a card that could alter people's ability to communicate with one another, a favorite technique of his to send enemy troops into chaos when they could no longer give or follow orders._ "

"It must have been attracted to Syaoran-kun because he speaks three languages," Tomoyo suggested.

" _Yes, likely so. Oh, I'm so sorry, Li Syaoran-sama. Don't you worry, we'll find this card_ -"

"He can't understand you, Stephen."

" _Ah! Right!_ " Stephen gasped and then switched over to English. "[ _Do not worry, Master Li Syaoran. I will help you find this card and return you to_ normal.]"

"If you have a plan, you'll need to tell us right away," Tomoyo added. "Lunch is almost over, and they'll be expecting us in class."

Stephen paused and then spoke up again. " _That may be a problem. Babel hides within written text, which can make it difficult to locate. In a place like a school, which is full of books, finding Babel would be like finding a needle in a haystack."_

"What? Really?"

Kero's voice came over the phone, his volume causing feedback as he yelled. " _Whyyyy do you always give us information that only makes things worse?!_ "

"K-Kero-chan! He's just trying to help, same as always!"

Syaoran passed Tomoyo's phone back over to her, the question [ _what is Kero yelling about?_ ] written in the translator. She just giggled in response, and he groaned.

Meanwhile, Stephen was providing as much information as he could. " _W-well, we can at least narrow it down! The text where Babel is hiding must be in the same language as the one it has imprinted onto its victims. It needs a reference, right? It prefers handwritten materials to printed ones, and it's all the better if that material was written by a powerful magician._ "

"Hmm…" Sakura closed her eyes as she thought it over. "...something in English, handwritten by a powerful magician…" It took a moment, but her eyes finally snapped open. "That's it! The homework assignments we turned in today- it must be hiding in one of ours!"

"Miller-sensei has probably taken them to her desk in the faculty office already," Tomoyo offered. "We should go there."

"Right! Let's hurry too- the bell is going to ring soon."

" _Oh, Sakura-sama, before I forget, the card has a preference for material that was written in ink rather than pencil, and also prioritizes material that is-"_

"It's okay, Stephen. We know where the card is hiding. You've been a great help, thanks!" Sakura hated to cut him off, but she knew that Stephen had a habit of being long-winded and they didn't have any time to waste

Tomoyo passed a quick message to Syaoran explaining the situation, and the three of them scrambled back down the stairs to the first floor. The faculty office was on the other side of the building, so they were out of breath by the time they made it. Sakura reached the doorway first and was about to open the door, but someone else opened the door from the inside and she jumped back in surprise.

It was the last person she wanted to see right now.

"...Kinomoto-san? What are you doing here?" Noboru asked, his expression genuinely curious. "Lunch is almost over. Do you need something?"

"I was looking for Miller-sensei," Sakura answered, trying not to let her anxiety show through. She knew having Tomoyo and Syaoran following so closely behind her might look suspicious to him, but there wasn't much she could do. "We, uh, had a project due in English class today, and I think I forgot to put my name on mine. Is she here? Can I speak with her?"

Noboru glanced back into the office before addressing Sakura again. "I think she's already headed to her next class. But she usually grades assignments after school, so if you speak to her before you go to your club this afternoon, you should be fine. Just remember to be more careful next time."

"R-right…" Sakura glanced back at her friends and then up at Noboru. "...um, do you think she left the assignments at her desk? Maybe we could just take a look-"

"Kinomoto-san, you know it would be unethical to go through your class' assignments without the teacher's supervision. I know you are a trustworthy student, but some students might not have such straightforward intentions. Or…" He paused, looking back and forth between the three of them. "...does Miller-sensei have reason to worry about _your_ intentions too?"

She'd pushed too far. He had caught on, and Sakura knew it. She scrambled to think of a way to get out of it, but there was no way to deflect his attention without also putting Syaoran in a difficult position.

"...what class is Miller-sensei teaching this period? Maybe if we go talk to her-"

"She's in class 1-C after lunch today," Noboru answered. "I can accompany you there."

"W-w-well, we…"

"Daidouji-san. Li-san. You two have been awfully quiet. If Kinomoto-san is really just trying to put her name on her project, why are the two of you staying so close? You could be late to class."

"We're just here to back her up!" Tomoyo answered, putting on a big smile. "Like you said, students could be untrustworthy."

"Li-san? Is that true?"

Syaoran stiffened, hearing his own name amidst Noboru's speech. He frowned and looked away, not even sure what nonverbal response to give. Noboru stepped closer and spoke again.

"Li-san? Please speak up when a teacher addresses you. It's rude not to at least say something."

"H-he lost his voice!" Sakura broke in. "It's laryngitis- y'know, from everything with the drama club. He'll be okay, though."

"He could at least give me a nod, though. Isn't that right, Li-san? Or…" Noboru paused, a smile passing over his face as his speech changed over from Japanese to English. "[... _can you even understand what I'm saying?_ ]"

Syaoran flinched, eliciting a laugh from Noboru.

"The Babel card! Of course! Naturally, you'd be searching for the card hiding in your handwritten English homework. Did Stephanos give you that clue, or did you work it out all on your own? Either way, you should have come to me."

"We don't need your help!" Sakura replied. "Just let us go in and capture the card-"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Not now that I _know_."

"But-"

Before Sakura could protest further, the school bell rang. Noboru's eyes glinted, hearing the chimes echo down the hallway. "Oh my, it sounds like lunch is over. Luckily for me, this is my free period. But the three of you are expected back in class… if someone found you in the halls skipping class, you'd get in big trouble. What a pity."

"B-but-!" Sakura gasped, glancing back at Syaoran. "He won't be able to understand the lecture. What if the teacher calls on him?"

"Math is the same in any language. He can simply write his answer on the board." Noboru shrugged. "But, if you're _that_ concerned I won't be able to find and subdue the card, you can help me out. You won't get in trouble if you're _helping_ a teacher, you know."

Sakura stepped back, looking away. "B-but…" she repeated. Before she could gather her thoughts, however, Syaoran shoved the phone in her direction. The message on it was short but firm.

"[You don't need his help.]"

She relaxed her shoulders and sighed. "...we'll go on to class, then."

"Sakura-chan-!" Tomoyo gasped, but Noboru laughed.

"A fine decision. I will subdue the card and reverse its effects on Li for you, don't worry. Now off to class with you. You don't want to be late."

Sakura grabbed Tomoyo and Syaoran's hands and dragged them both with her down the hallway and around the corner into the stairwell. As soon as they were out of sight, she pulled her key from inside her shirt and held it firmly in one hand.

"Tomoyo-chan, take Syaoran back to class. I'll handle this."

"But Sakura-chan, this is the faculty office we're talking about! If someone catches you skipping class, then-"

By the time Tomoyo had begun to protest, Sakura had already pulled the card she was looking for out of her pocket. She wasted no time in chanting the incantation for her staff and activating the card.

" _Little Card, make me small enough to find the card without being spotted! LITTLE!_ "

On her command, the card enveloped her in magic and she began to shrink until she was small enough to fit in the palm of a person's hand. Tomoyo and Syaoran knelt down beside her, Syaoran typing into the phone and then holding it out for her to see. At the size she was, the phone looked more like a massive flashing billboard, and that only made the message stand out more. She had expected him to type out something like "be careful" or "don't go alone" or something like that, but he didn't.

"[You can do it]" was all the message said.

* * *

Sakura waited until the bell rang and the hallway had cleared out before making a run for the faculty office. She had been watching from around the corner and seen another teacher asking Noboru for help taking some items back to the library. He didn't put up any protest, which was just what she was hoping for. He was overconfident- and that gave her a chance.

She was lucky that her stamina for running was good; the distance between her spot in the stairwell and the office itself was much greater than she'd anticipated, and even she was out of breath by the time she made it to the door. It was closed and far heavier than she'd thought it would be to open, but with the Through Card, getting into the office was easy and she didn't arouse any suspicion by causing the door to move on its own.

So far so good.

There were a few teachers working at their desks, but none of them was seated near Miller-sensei's. Sakura tried to remember exactly where Miller-sensei's desk _was_ , recalling only that it was on the row next to the window. She hurried around to that side of the room, clutching her staff close and staying vigilant for the sensation of a Warp Card's energy. Stephen was right that the card was good at hiding; she hadn't been able to feel it when she was full size. But now that she was smaller, the energy of the card was just barely noticeable, and she could follow it down the row to the very last desk.

 _There!_

Sakura reached into her pocket again for her cards. "Jump," she whispered and used its power to hop up first onto the chair and then onto the surface of the desk itself. She couldn't see the desktop from the ground, so she'd hoped that the assignment papers would simply be sitting there on top. But when she made it to the desktop, she found the workspace tidy and spotless.

 _Where did she put the assignments? Are they in the drawer, or…?_

Sakura closed her eyes again, trying to get a better feel for where the card had gone. She could feel it in one of the desk drawers on the right side, but glancing over the side of the desk at the drawer handles made her realize how ill-equipped she was to open them. She couldn't transform back into her normal size with the two other teachers present. There had to be another way…

As she thought it through, the sound of the door opening derailed her train of thought and sent her hiding behind the mug of pencils. Noboru's voice filled the room, the other two teachers looking up from their work.

"Ueno, Matsuda, Shimazaki said that she needed help with something in the gym. I'm helping Miller with something right now, so could you go check on that for me?"

 _Oh no!_ Sakura cursed inwardly. She'd taken too long, and now not only had Noboru come back, but he'd distracted the other teachers and gotten the faculty room for himself. She had to do something fast, or she'd lose the card. Determined to get into the drawers, she hopped down from the desk back onto the chair.

Unfortunately, she forgot that it was a rolling chair.

The impact of her landing sent the chair moving backward, and she was powerless to do anything but hang on as it crashed into the back wall. By the time she knew what was happening, Noboru was already leaning over her.

"A little bird told me I would find you here… though he didn't say I'd find a miniature version of you. Clow Reed really did make some ridiculous cards."

Sakura looked up, noticing the magical figure perched on Noboru's shoulder- _Messenger_ , she remembered. "I-I was just-"

"You don't need to make excuses, Kinomoto. I get it. You were looking for the card." Noboru slid the chair back to the desk again, gently so as not to knock Sakura off the side. He then let go of it, digging into the bag that he was carrying. Sakura wasn't sure what he was reaching for, and part of her didn't want to find out.

Desperate, Sakura tapped her staff against the side of the drawer and began shouting the incantation. "Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from-"

There was a loud _thump_ beside her as Noboru shoved a notebook onto the table

"- _fos mu_? _Then katalavéno..._ "

Sakura looked up, her head spinning. She couldn't remember the exact words of the incantation, the meaning still solid in her head but the Japanese completely gone. She wasn't even _thinking_ in Japanese anymore- and the sight of the smile on Noboru's face as he looked down at her made it clear that was exactly what he'd wanted.

" _Milás Elliniká?_ " he whispered, feigning surprise. _You speak Greek?_

Sakura slumped to the desktop, unable to even say anything else to him. She didn't _want_ to say anything else to him.

" _Pos les_ 'you're in over your head' _sta Elliniká, Sakura?_ " he asked, and then added with a grin, _"Sygnómi, milás álli glóssa ektós apó Elliniká?_ "

" _Ochi…_ " Sakura sighed. _No,_ she didn't understand the phrase he'd just used. No, she didn't understand any other language.

Noboru placed his hand over the notebook and chanted an incantation under his breath. The energy from his handwriting coalesced into the form of a card and settled into his hand.

Another card was back in his control.

Noboru accompanied Sakura back to a quiet location where she could transform back to her normal size and then walked her back to her classroom with his usual 'concern.'

"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier. I don't mean to humiliate you, I merely want you to understand what you're up against. Outside of a wartime environment, Babel and Muse are more inconvenient than they are dangerous. But as you continue to encounter these cards, you will find more and more cards like Vegetation- cards that will kill you if given the chance. You cannot keep exposing yourself to them in this way. It's clear that Stephanos isn't doing enough to help you; after all, he didn't tell you that Babel will give preference to Greek text over other languages."

"He tried to." Sakura finally mustered up the courage to speak back. "I just didn't listen to him."

"I suppose, then, you won't make that mistake again?"

There was an odd glint in Noboru's eyes as he said this, and it sent a shiver down Sakura's spine. He'd always had that scheming air about him when discussing the Warp Cards, but now more than ever it seemed like he was up to something. She looked up at him and nodded, forcing her own resolve as well.

"No, I won't."

Noboru delivered her to math class with an apology for keeping her "to help tidy up the faculty office," and Sakura trudged back to her seat so that she could fish her math textbook out of her desk. Tomoyo gave her a questioning look and Syaoran whispered a quick " _did you get the card?,"_ and Sakura could only shake her head in reply.

Class continued as normal, but Sakura couldn't focus on the lesson. What had just happened was weighing on her mind, and she had to sort it out. Why had she failed this time when she was so sure of herself?

 _It's because there were things I didn't know about the card, Sensei found a way to use that against me and take me by surprise. To keep that from happening again, I…_

She clenched her fist, her resolve strengthening once again.

... _I have to study these cards. I need Stephen to teach me everything he knows. I need to know what I'm up against- with the cards_ and _with Noboru-sensei._


	12. Sakura and Flu Season

I won't start this long-overdue chapter with excuses about thesis work or being on a boat in the arctic or anything. What I will start it with is an important disclaimer: the opinions expressed by the characters in this chapter DO ABSOLUTELY reflect the views of the author. If you are healthy enough to get vaccinated, then _get vaccinated_. I don't own CCS or any of the characters, but I do have joint custody of Stephen- so get all your vaccinations, or Stephen will sneak into your house in the middle of the night and ask you politely to do it. He might even cry. Don't make him cry.

Also, enjoy the story.

* * *

 **12- Sakura and Flu Season**

By the end of November, a cold chill had settled itself on Tomoeda, and Sakura found herself needing more and more layers during her morning commute. Icy sidewalks made rollerblading dangerous, so she was forced to walk with a slow, careful pace that required her to leave home earlier. That, compared to the waning daylight hours, brought a sense of melancholy to her routine that she couldn't quite shake. Her sleep had been off as well, so she was surprised when she found herself once again in a familiar dream.

"...it's you again…" she murmured, staring across at the woman in front of her. "What are you doing here? What was your message about last time-?" She stopped, her mind suddenly racing back to her experiences during the cultural festival. "...nine… were you warning me about the Muse Card? The nine parts? Is that the reason? But then why didn't you warn me about Babel…?"

The woman's blank expression reminded Sakura of the language barrier between them. If only she'd captured Babel, they might have a way to communicate! But now wasn't the time to worry about that. She stopped talking and instead motioned to the scroll that the woman was holding. The woman pulled out her calligraphy brush again and began to make careful strokes against the parchment. This time, Sakura waited patiently until the woman was finished and turned the scroll around to show off what she'd written.

There were two characters on the parchment, only one of which was familiar to Sakura. The first was something she hadn't seen before, or perhaps had only seen in passing. But the second, she recognized.

" _Dye_ …" she murmured. "Dyeing… to dye something…? What does that first character mean? I don't understand-"

The dream landscape began to shift as Sakura felt herself nearing wakefulness. She reached out, still unsure of the purpose of these dreams.

"Wait! I don't get it! Are you trying to help me? Do you need my help? It doesn't make any sense-"

And with that, she found herself sitting up in bed, the sound of her own voice still ringing in her ears. She realized with some embarrassment that the woman hadn't even made an attempt to speak this time, and there she'd been, yelling at her in a foreign language anyway. Stephen, who seemed to have been awake, scampered over from the windowsill to hop onto the bed beside her.

"Sakura-sama, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I just…" Sakura frowned, trying to conjure up an image of the characters the woman had drawn. "...I had that dream again. I think the woman is trying to warn me about the Warp Cards."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. Remember last time? She wrote the character for nine. Then, a week later, our culture festival was attacked by the Muse card, which had nine different parts."

Stephen's eyes lit up. "That's right! Perhaps it was a warning after all. Did she write something different this time?"

Sakura nodded. "I didn't recognize the first character, but the second was the character for _dye_. I'm trying to think of the cards that have something to do with inks or colors, but I'm at a loss."

Stephen placed a paw over his mouth as he considered it. "There is The Tapestry, however, that card is more on par with Muse in the way that it disrupts the production of artwork. A number of Chinese words can be written with the character for _dye_ , some with nothing to do with art. If you say you didn't recognize the first character, perhaps it was _fān yíhm,_ to influence… in that case, we could be dealing with The Puppet or The Hive, or even-"

"Whaaat are ya guys talkin' about first thing in the morning? Some beasts are tryin' to sleep over here!"

Sakura and Stephen both looked over to where Kero had poked his head out of the top of the drawer. Stephen spoke first, proving the answer in kinder terms than Sakura had prepared to.

"Sakura-sama and I were discussing the content of her dreams. She is concerned about what this woman is trying to tell her, and we are trying to reason through it."

"Dream?" Kero flew out from the drawer and over to sit next to them on the bed. "You had the dream again, did'ya?"

"Yeah." Sakura nodded her head. "Stephen and I are trying to figure out what the woman in my dream was trying to tell me. If you remember, last time she wrote the character for _nine_ , and the next Warp Card to appear was the nine-faceted Muse. I think this woman is trying to warn me about the Warp Cards."

Kero crossed his arms. "But if that's the case, how does she know what card is comin' after you? What connection does she have with the Warp Cards?"

"I don't know." Sakura shook her head. "Stephen, was there anyone who had a powerful connection with the Warp Cards?"

"No," Stephen answered, "not beside myself and Chioni. And Chioni… well, she was a sorceress in her own right, but she wasn't powerful enough to have been reincarnated with her past memories following her death. So I don't know who it could be."

They all went quiet, a hum between them as they considered it. Sakura had been studying the Warp Cards recently, but having just woken up, her mind still wasn't working its best. Something about what the woman had written was bothering her, but she couldn't put her finger on it-

And then the alarm clock rang.

It startled them out of their thoughts, and Sakura grabbed it to silence it. "You guys can keep thinking about it," she instructed as she set it back on the shelf above her bed. "I need to get ready for school."

She hurriedly put on her uniform and dashed down the stairs to meet her father in the kitchen. He'd been out the night before with some friends from the university, so she hadn't seen him.

"Good morning, Dad! How was your dinner last night?"

Fujitaka looked up from the stove and smiled. "Good morning, Sakura. We had a lovely dinner, thanks for asking. Giorgios said that he hadn't had okonomiyaki since he'd been back in Japan, so we all went to that place near the park, around the corner from Twin Bells."

"I remember that place! That's where we went for Onii-chan's birthday this year, right?"

"Right. Since you're early today, I'll tell you more about it once we sit down to eat. Can you set the table, please?"

Sakura nodded, already getting to work setting out plates and silverware. "Sure thing!"

They dug into breakfast together, Fujitaka telling all about the jokes and mishaps of dinner the night before, particularly with the new professor from Germany who had never eaten okonomiyaki. Sakura's laughter mingled with her father's, and the kitchen filled with a sense of warmth. Once Sakura finished eating, she stood up and picked up her plate to carry to the sink. Fujitaka was looking at his phone and held up the weather app to show her. On it was a picture of clouds, overlain by the number -2° C.

"It's an especially cold one today. Be sure to bundle up before you head out."

"I will!" Sakura chimed.

Fujitaka looked at his phone again, comparing the time to his watch. He seemed to realize something and looked up again. "Say, Sakura, have you gotten a flu shot this year?"

"Huh? No, I haven't. Onii-chan and Yukito-san were working at the reception counter for the hospital downtown, so I heard they got theirs there."

"I see. We'll have to make sure you get one, then. I got mine at the university health center on Friday," Fujitaka replied. "Supposedly it's best to get them in October, but it's never too late. Giorgios works with a school here in Tomoeda, and he said they're holding a clinic at the school to make sure all the students have received their flu vaccinations. Are they doing something like that at Seijyo?"

Sakura shook her head. "I haven't heard about it, but I'll let you know."

Fujitaka nodded and picked up his plate to take into the kitchen as well. "I have a good feeling Seijyo will be one of the schools that Giorgios was talking about."

"A… good feeling?" Sakura asked, not quite sure what he meant. She hoped he would elaborate, but he just smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.

* * *

Sure enough, Shimazaki-sensei announced during homeroom that the school would be holding a flu clinic at the nurse's office that week, and any student who hadn't yet received their shot would be excused from class to do so.

"They will be taking first-years tomorrow, and then again on Friday in case anyone needs extra time to get their parent's signature. Remember, don't try to leave class unless you have a signed form; you _will_ be marked absent without an excuse. If you would like a form to take home, please raise your hand and Yamazaki-san will pass them out to you."

The class erupted with a buzz of conversation as Yamazaki stood up from his "class representative" chair and retrieved the forms. Sakura held her hand up and glanced back at Syaoran, who was more focused on the book he was reading than on what was going on around him. "Have you already gotten your flu shot?" Sakura whispered, and he looked up just long enough to nod back.

"Yeah. My mother is very strict about me having regular medical check-ups, so I got it when I visited the doctor last month."

"I see." Sakura turned back around in her chair, noticing that Tomoyo had her hand raised as well. "Tomoyo-chan? I thought for sure you'd have gotten it. Don't you have a nurse on staff at home?"

"No, no!" Tomoyo laughed, shaking her head. "We just have the bodyguards and a few maids."

"... _just_ bodyguards and maids, huh?"

"My mother has been so busy with work lately, we just haven't- thanks, Yamazaki-kun- haven't had the time to schedule anything."

"You know, speaking of vaccines," Yamazaki broke in, as he handed a form to Sakura too, "did you know that the English word _vaccine_ comes from the Latin word for _cow_? That's because the very first vaccines ever created were made from a cow disease."

Sakura's eyes widened, and Syaoran actually looked up from his book. "Really?"

"Yes! You see, In eighteenth-century England, dairymaids often contracted a disease from their cows, which they called cowpox. It wasn't a very severe illness, so no one thought much of it; that is until one doctor realized that everyone who caught cowpox seemed to be immune to the much deadlier disease smallpox-"

"Hey, Takashi! We need a form over here for Rika-chan!"

Chiharu's voice pulled him away, and he offered them a quick "I'll tell you more about cowpox later, after homeroom!"

Tomoyo giggled as she placed the form away in her desk, and Sakura shifted in her chair so that she was facing Syaoran again. "What are you reading this morning? It looks like an old book."

"It's one my sisters sent me." Syaoran turned it around to reveal handwritten Chinese text inside. "It's a genealogy of the Li clan going back to the Yuan Dynasty when they first settled in Hong Kong. I'm trying to find some people Stephen mentioned, a Li Xiaohe and a Li Lian, but…"

"No luck?" Sakura finished.

"Not even a footnote. It's so strange." Syaoran placed a bookmark and flipped back a few pages to where he'd put a sticker to highlight an important part of the text. "They're not the only ones, of course. It's written here that Li Zhixiong, Clow Reed's uncle, had two sons and a daughter. But neither of his son's names are recorded, and while his daughter _is_ named, it merely mentions her marrying into the Tang family and gives no other information. Detailed accounts begin again with Zhixiong's grandson, Baoyi, who Clow Reed adopted and raised as his own. But Baoyi's wife isn't given a personal name either- it only says that her family name was Wu and that the two were married in 1896. It's so frustrating; I found a picture of Clow Reed with a child I don't recognize, and I still haven't figured out who it is-"

The bell rang, signaling the end of homeroom, and Sakura took it as a chance to break in. She hated interrupting him when he was so passionate about what he was doing, but he had a habit of talking quickly when he got excited, and she was having a hard time following all the unfamiliar names. "We have gym first period today, don't we? I guess we'd better go change."

"Oh, r-right. Of course." Syaoran shut the book, his cheeks tinged a little pink as he realized how carried away he'd gotten. Sakura offered him a reassuring smile.

"I'm studying the Warp Cards with Stephen, so maybe we could have a double study session after school sometime. If you draw a family tree so that I know who's related to who, I'll be able to follow along much better."

His expression brightened as he heard what she said, and he happily nodded. "I want to ask for Kerberos' help too. He would know more about this, particularly the areas where my family's records fall short."

"I'm sure if we offered him snacks, he'd be happy to give us any information we ask."

Syaoran rolled his eyes and muttered something about 'that glutton,' but he nodded and replied with a simple "thanks."

* * *

By the next afternoon, they gathered a study group at Sakura's house.

"Okay, Sakura-sama. I will describe the effects of a card and you must name the card I am describing. Are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Good." Stephen sat back on the table, flipping through the index cards in his paws. He finally found one that he liked and began elaborating on the notes. "The card I'm thinking of creates repetitive thoughts and actions. No matter what the victim does, they find themselves performing certain actions or motions on endless repeat, a cycle that they cannot break no matter how it may tire or injure them-"

Sakura finally clapped her hands together as the name popped into her mind. "Ouroboros!" she said.

"Yes, very good." Stephen beamed. "And the Ouroboros card is under the jurisdiction of-?"

That question left her speechless. "Um, that's… I guess… it would be Wrath, right? Repetitive actions?"

Stephen's ears drooped. "Try again, Sakura-sama. Remember, Wrath cards cause physical harm _directly_ to their victims. A card that interferes with its victims' physical faculties would be-?"

"Oh! That's Sloth, right?"

"Now you're getting it!"

On the other side of the living room, Syaoran was hunched over a poster-size piece of paper on the floor, Kero hovering next to him and giving instructions and narration.

"Yep, that guy was a real jerk. I never really met him, but Clow Reed said he resented his older brother for being the one who would become head of the family. If only he knew, huh?"

"I'm not interested in the irony of the situation. I'm just interested in the relationships."

"This is important to the relationships! Ya gotta know the stories or this family tree is just a bunch'a lines of a page!"

"I _want_ lines on a page, stuffed animal-"

Tomoyo burst into the room, carrying a tray of mugs. She had been at work in the kitchen making hot cocoa while Sakura and Syaoran studied, wanting to make sure that the two didn't push themselves too hard. "Everyone~! There's no point in studying on an empty stomach."

Kero leapt up from Syaoran's shoulder, lying directly to Tomoyo's side. "Hooray! It doesn't properly feel like winter without hot cocoa!"

"The temperature outside says otherwise," Syaoran grumbled, but he got up and accepted a mug from Tomoyo anyway. "Thanks."

"You two are working so hard. I wish I could do more." Tomoyo carried the tray over to the table and set it down next to where Stephen was sitting. "Here, Sakura-chan, Stephen. Take a break."

Sakura picked up one of the mugs and took a tentative sip, but she put it back down on the tray again and returned to looking at the notes on her index cards. "Dad is going to be home soon. I really should start dinner."

"We'll help you," Syaoran offered. "It isn't fair for you to cook alone, since you've invited us to stay too."

Tomoyo nodded "I finished my homework already, so there's no reason I can't help."

Sakura blushed, looking up from her card with a smile. "Thanks, you guys. Let's finish our hot cocoa, and then we can start with dinner preparations."

" _Sure!"_

By the time Fujitaka arrived home, Sakura and her friends had almost finished cooking. The kitchen was busy, each of them with their own set tasks, and the smell wafted all the way down to the entry hall. Fujitaka smiled as he entered, seeing all three of them working so hard.

"It's more lively here today than I expected. Hello Tomoyo-chan, Li-kun."

"Hello!" Tomoyo stopped cutting vegetables long enough to offer a wave from the counter. "Sakura-chan invited us to stay for dinner, so we wanted to help her cook. The hamburger steaks are ready to go into the pan, but I think there's a bit longer on the mushroom sauce."

"You should take your things upstairs, Dad," Sakura suggested, running over to give him a welcoming hug. "We'll call you when dinner's ready."

Fujitaka laughed and nodded, but as Sakura began to pull away, he stopped her, placing a hand on her forehead.

"...Dad?"

"Your face looks flushed, Sakura. Are you feeling alright?"

Now that he mentioned it, Sakura _had_ been feeling a bit faint while she was working, but she'd just assumed she was tired from school and cheerleading practice. "I'm fine," she answered. "Just a little tired, is all."

"But you're burning up-"

" _Ow!_ "

The yelp came from in the kitchen, and Tomoyo suddenly dropped the knife she was holding and raced for the sink. Syaoran turned off the stove and stepped back to help her. "Again? That's the third time. Don't tell me your hand slipped _again_?"

"I-it's alright," Tomoyo assured him, taking another bandage out of the package that was already sitting out on the counter. "I'm almost finished anyway."

"That's not the point…"

Fujitaka left Sakura's side and approached Tomoyo, examining her face too. "Tomoyo-chan, you look flushed too. May I check your temperature?"

"Yes, of course, but I'm not-"

"Same as Sakura," Fujitaka murmured before she could even _try_ to say she was alright. "Let me get the thermometer from the first aid kit in the hall. Li-kun, how are you feeling? You look okay, but if you're feeling sick too, maybe you should sit down."

Syaoran was leaning over Tomoyo in concern, but he looked up at Fujitaka with a nod. "I feel fine. I'm just worried about Sakura and Tomoyo-chan."

They left the kitchen and returned to the living room so that a Tomoyo and Sakura could sit down on the couch. Sakura stumbled on the way there, and her father had to step in and help her so that she didn't fall over. Syaoran questioned them while Fujitaka went to get the first aid kit.

"It was while we were drinking the hot cocoa," Tomoyo explained when he asked when her symptoms had started. "My face felt hot, but I assumed it was because of the drink. It was making me nauseous, so I didn't finish it all, and when I stood up I was a little dizzy but not too much to stand…"

"I didn't start feeling bad until I started washing the rice," Sakura added. "All of a sudden my head started to ache and I got all dizzy, like the room was spinning. I just thought I was tired, though."

Fujitaka returned with the thermometer as she said this, handing it to Tomoyo first while he spoke in reply. "I heard what you said- you shouldn't have continued trying to cook if you were feeling sick."

"But I thought I was just tired-" Sakura protested, but Syaoran broke in before she could finish.

"Even so, being that tired means something is wrong. Don't ignore your body!"

"But…"

The thermometer allowed Fujitaka to confirm his suspicions; Sakura and Tomoyo's temperatures were 38.8 and 39 respectively. Syaoran sprang into action, hurrying back into the kitchen.

"I'll clean up," he volunteered. "You can call a doctor."

"Thank you," Fujitaka replied and then turned back to Sakura and Tomoyo. "I'm taking you two to the hospital. A fever this high developing so suddenly is too serious for us to ignore and try to treat here."

"But dinner-" Sakura protested, but Fujitaka cut her off, resting his hand on her arm.

"That can wait. My worry now is for your safety."

* * *

By the time Sonomi arrived, Sakura and Tomoyo had already been examined by the doctor and had been told that they'd be staying overnight for observation. Syaoran was sitting on a bench outside the room, but he stood up when he saw Sonomi and directed her into the room where the girls were resting.

" _Tomoyo! Oh, thank goodness; I was so worried-!_ "

Tomoyo sat up and offered her mother a weak smile. "We're alright, Mother. The doctor said it's probably just the flu."

"It's never _just_ anything if it makes you sick." Sonomi sat down on the bed next to her and reached across to hold Sakura's hand as well. "You too, Sakura-chan."

"The doctor prescribed them some medicine to ease the symptoms and reduce their fevers," Fujitaka explained. "She said that the best treatment for a viral infection like this is bed rest and plenty of fluids, so as long as their fevers have gone down by tomorrow, they'll be fine to go home. I'm sorry to worry you."

" _Hmph._ You could've told me more over the phone than 'I'm taking Sakura and Tomoyo to the hospital."

"I suppose I should have elaborated, but at the time I didn't know what was going on other than that their fevers were too high."

"But still…" Sonomi's voice trailed off as a nurse entered the room, saying she was there to take the patients' vitals. "We'll give you some room," Sonomi said, standing up and motioning for Fujitaka to follow her out the door. "I'd like to speak to you in the hall."

Syaoran wasn't sure whether he should stay or follow the adults outside. As much as he didn't want to intrude on whatever conversation Sonomi felt she shouldn't have in front of Tomoyo and Sakura, he felt awkward being the only one staying in the room. He slipped out into the hallway with Fujitaka and watched as Sonomi pushed the door closed behind them. Once she made it out in the hall, she seemed to lose her balance, slumping against the wall and having to prop herself up with one arm. Fujitaka immediately reached out to help her, but-

"Don't touch me!" Sonomi snapped, and then realized how loud she'd yelled. She blushed and lowered her voice, whispering back "I'm okay. It's just… it's been a difficult evening."

"I'm sorry," Fujitaka replied. "You're right. I should have said more than I did. It's natural you'd worry, considering that this is... the same kind of thing that happened with Nadeshiko…"

Syaoran felt his stomach churn as he listened to the conversation, feeling awkward and out of place with the current subject. He cleared his throat, saying "I'm going to go get something to drink!" and bolted down the hall before Fujitaka could say anything else.

Maybe Yue was right about him always running from his problems, but it _worked_.

He stopped once he made it around the corner and walked casually toward the vending machine as he caught his breath. As he dug into his pocket for his wallet, he heard a familiar pair of voices approaching from around the other corner. By the time he plugged in the number for the can of green tea, the couple had rounded the corner and met him face to face.

"-it's _true_ , Chiharu. Cowpox is part of a whole family of viruses that include horsepox and monkeypox-" Yamasaki stopped mid-sentence as he made eye contact with Syaoran and suddenly jumped back. "Whoa, Li-kun! You startled me!"

"I was just standing here. You're the one who wasn't paying attention to where you were going."

Chiharu peeked around Yamazaki's shoulder. "Oh, it really is Li-kun! What are youdoing here?"

"Oh, I, uh…" Syaoran glanced down at the drink can in his hand. "Sakura and Tomoyo-san have the flu. I helped Sakura's dad bring them here to make sure everything was alright-"

"Sakura-chan and Tomoyo-chan too?" Chiharu gasped. "We're here visiting Rika-chan!"

Syaoran froze. "Sasaki-san? Is she…?"

"She has the flu too," Yamazaki explained. "It's ironic, 'cause she _just_ got her flu shot today."

"Sakura and Tomoyo-san too," Syaoran replied, tossing the can between one hand and the other. "I know the vaccine is supposed to take two weeks before it's effective, but the timing of this is odd. Did either of you get the vaccine at school?"

Chiharu and Yamazaki shook their heads. "You didn't either, right, Li-kun?" Yamazaki asked. "You didn't take a flyer yesterday."

"Right. I got mine a couple months ago. I guess that's why I didn't get it, even though I've been hanging out with Sakura and Tomoyo-san. Still, it's odd that it's specifically the ones who got the vaccine at school…"

"Right?" Yamazaki nodded. "I've seen two others from the student council and one from the drama club here. They both got the vaccine today at school, and they both have the flu now."

 _So it's just the kids who got it at school, huh?_

Syaoran clutched the can of tea close to his chest and turned on his heels. "I-It's getting late, so I have to go! See you at school tomorrow!"

"Li-kun…" Chiharu's voice called after him, but he didn't respond, and he heard a weak "...okay, see ya…" as he ran back down the hall. Fujitaka and Sonomi were still talking outside, but they seemed to have calmed down, and the nurse exited the door as Syaoran arrived.

"You two are the parents, right? You're free to stay as long as you need to. If you need any help, please let us know-"

"Tomoyo? Sakura-chan?" Sonomi pushed her way through the door. "How are you feeling?"

" _We're okay_." Sakura's voice called through the door.

"Li-kun, Tomoyo's mother will stay here with them for a while, so I can drive you home," Fujitaka said. "I really appreciate your help tonight."

"Huh? I-I didn't… I mean… it wasn't…" He blushed but finally nodded. "Y-you're welcome. Thanks for the ride."

After what had happened earlier, Syaoran didn't try to make conversation in the car. Once Fujitaka dropped him off at his apartment, however, he grabbed his phone to send a quick text to Kero.

[ _Something strange is going on. Keep a close eye on Sakura._ ]

…

When Sakura awoke the next morning, she could feel a deep ache in her whole body. It hurt to move even a little, just to shift position in bed, even. She groaned as she sat up, feeling a hoarseness in her throat, and Kero flew over with a cup of water balanced in his paws.

"Hey there, kiddo. Ya feelin' alright?"

"No…" Sakura choked out once she'd taken a few sips. "Everything aches and I feel like my throat is closing up. Is this what the flu is…?"

"I'm afraid so." Kero patted her on the head. "It's been a while since the nurse came by with that medicine. What was it- every six hours?"

Stephen flew over from his perch by the windowsill. "Kerberos is right. It has been almost six hours. I am not surprised that you are feeling so unwell."

"Can I getcha somethin' else to drink?" Kero asked. "Some more water or some juice, or somethin'?"

"What if someone sees you?" Sakura asked. "If I need anything, I can ask the nurse-"

There was a knock on the door, and Fujitaka peeked his head in. "Sakura? Are you awake?"

Kero dropped the cup back on the nightstand and dove underneath it, and Stephen disappeared back into Sakura's bag.

"Dad? Good… good morning." Sakura began and coughed. "Sorry, I'm still…"

"Don't worry. The doctor said it will take a while before you start feeling better. In the meantime, the best thing you can do for now is rest." He opened the door and stepped in, carrying a cup of juice with him. "The nurse said that she'd bring your medicine soon, so I brought you some orange juice."

"Thanks, Dad."

Once the nurse brought Sakura's medicine and left again, Fujitaka sat down on the bed beside her. "They said they want to keep you and Tomoyo until this afternoon since your fevers aren't responding to the medication. Will you be alright here today by yourself? I called Touya to come check on you this afternoon after his classes."

"I'll be fine." Sakura nodded and then winced, one hand moving to massage her neck. "I just need to rest, right?"

There was a silence between them before Fujitaka spoke up again.

"I have to apologize," he spoke up again. "I should have made sure you got your flu shot earlier. They were talking about it on television this morning; there is an investigation going on into the batch of vaccines used at Seijyo. Apparently you and Tomoyo-san weren't the only ones brought into the hospital last night with flu symptoms. A large number of first-year students from the same school got sick with the same symptoms at the same time- and all students who received the vaccine at school."

Sakura stared, feeling her mouth hanging open. "Huh? All from Seijyo?"

"The vaccine was one that used a live but inert version of the virus. According to the news, they suspect that somehow there was a mistake and the version you kids received was actually infectious."

"That's… so strange…" Sakura murmured. "But didn't the doctor say that… it usually takes two days… for the symptoms to appear…?"

"Yes, I recall that. Perhaps it's just a coincidence. After all, the students who weren't receiving the vaccine at school probably had it beforehand, just like Li-kun."

"...right." Sakura looked down at her lap, her mind spinning. It might've just been the illness, but she had a bad feeling about all of this.

"Oh!" Fujitaka looked up at the clock. "I'm sorry, I have to leave now. But please, don't hesitate to call me or Touya if there's anything you need."

"I will. Thank you."

Once he left, Kero and Stephen peeked out again. "Sakura-sama, what is the matter? You seem distracted. Are you feeling light-headed?"

"Well, a little, but…" Sakura shook her head. "I was thinking about the cards we were studying yesterday. This strange, sudden outbreak seems like the work of the Pestilence card, doesn't it?"

Kero and Stephen glanced at one another. "Sakura-sama," Stephen began, "I would be the first to jump on the possibility of a Warp Card in our midst, but I fear this may really be a coincidence. After all, it _is_ flu season, and influenza is an extremely contagious disease that would be transmitted easily within a school environment. Plus, the fact that all the students infected are the ones who received the vaccine at school makes sense when you realize that all those students were unvaccinated when exposed-"

"Hold up, buddy. I think she might be onta somethin' here," Kero interrupted, hopping over onto the bed. "Look at it this way- we've already lost two more cards to that teacher guy, and if we just ignore this situation, we might lose another. Maybe it's not a card. But would it hurt to be proactive?"

Stephen sighed. "Perhaps it would not. However, with Sakura-sama in the condition that she is, I do not want to risk hurting her. I want to be more like Sakura-sama in the way she prioritizes the wellbeing of her friends over everything else. Besides, Pestilence's intent isn't to infect as many people as it can, remember? Its job is to use make the general population more susceptible to illnesses that are already…" Stephen's voice trailed off. He suddenly let out a gasp and his eyes widened. "...that's it! This is _exactly_ what the Pestilence would do here in the twenty-first century!"

"Whaddya mean?" Kero asked. "Usin' schools?"

"Not just that. Pestilence is meant to destabilize a population by making them susceptible to harmful diseases. By spreading illness through a vaccine, Pestilence could sow seeds of mistrust among the public about the safety of vaccines themselves. You heard what Sakura-sama's father said about the story being on the news." Stephen hopped up onto the desk as well so that he could stand opposite Kero. "I have researched the great advances in medicine since I was sealed away, and perhaps the most beneficial of all is the development of effective vaccines. When all those who are healthy enough to be vaccinated do so, it fosters herd immunity, which protects all members of the community. But when large enough portions of the population remain unvaccinated, herd immunity breaks down and vulnerable members of the community can suffer greatly as a result."

Kero rested his chin in one paw, thinking it over. "So what you're sayin' is, this Pestilence card is tryin' to keep people from getting their flu shots so it can help the flu spread all through the school, and maybe even the city?"

"Mass panic can be a powerful tool, Kerberos. Especially when there are children involved."

Kero turned back around toward the bed. "Sakura? What do you think about all thi- huh? Sakura?"

Both Kero and Stephen scurried over to the bed, where Sakura had fallen back asleep. Kero hopped onto the pillow and brushed some of her hair away from her face.

"The poor kid…" he murmured. "She needs to rest. It's not fair. Maybe we should let the teacher guy handle this one too…"

"No. We have other options." Stephen pulled Sakura's phone from the nightstand and opened up the text message screen. "Li Syaoran-sama might be able to investigate for us. I will send him a message."

"Wait! Let's call him! This is too much ta try to communicate in a text-"

"Alright, then. I am calling now."

"W-w-wait! That's too fast! I don't know what I'm gonna say-!"

* * *

Syaoran came as soon as visiting hours started, sitting down with Sakura and Tomoyo to discuss what Stephen and Kero had told him. Sakura and Tomoyo had just received a dose of the pain medicine from the doctor, and were feeling a bit better than they had been that morning.

"You really think it's a card?" Syaoran asked. "I don't want to cause you unnecessary stress when you're sick like this-"

"It makes sense," Sakura interrupted and paused to cough before continuing. "With what Stephen said about the vaccines, it has to be something deliberate."

"I saw a news program this afternoon about the school vaccines," Tomoyo added. "They said that the company is being pressured to issue a recall of the vaccines being used in the schools. No announcement has been made yet, but a lot of parents are worried."

Kero was sitting on the side of Sakura's bed, his tail flicking back and forth as he thought it over. "If that happens, it'll be exactly what Pestilence wants. We've gotta capture it as soon as possible. Stephen?"

Stephen had been perched on the back of Tomoyo's chair and was absentmindedly braiding her hair while the others talked. He dropped the strands he was holding as he heard his name and jumped to his feet. "Y-Yes!"

"This is the part where you come in and tell us how to capture this thing, right?"

"Oh. Yes. Um. Pestilence." Stephen fidgeted with his paws. "Well, this is a tricky card because its essence is spread amongst all those it infects. That is an important weak point- that it becomes less potent the more people it infects- but it also makes the card very difficult to isolate."

Syaoran stood up so that he could pace back and forth while he spoke. "So what you're saying is, it's a lot like Muse in that the whole card needs to be brought together before it can be sealed."

"Precisely."

"But if it's split up between every person who's been infected, then it'll take way more time and energy to round up than Muse did."

"And I can't exactly run around the hospital in my condition," Sakura added.

"We'll have to rely on Syaoran-kun's help, then," Tomoyo said, nodding in his direction. "Perhaps he can go around and collect the parts of the card."

Syaoran shook his head. "That would take too long. Visiting hours would be over before I'd even made it to half of the rooms. Didn't they say there were over fifty students infected? And it would look suspicious if I were going to visit a bunch of people I didn't know."

"Plus it'd be hard to figure out which rooms are which," Kero added. "Ya might make a mistake and walk in on some old lady in a coma or somethin'."

Stephen hopped across to Sakura's bed, sitting on the foot opposite Kero. "Is there, perhaps, a Sakura Card that could sweep the hospital and round up the pieces of Pestilence for us?"

The room went silent. Sakura glanced around at the others as she considered it. _Was_ there a Sakura Card that could go in her place? "I wonder… there are too many lights around for Shadow… and Silent might not be corporeal enough to round up the pieces… but what else…?"

The group went quiet again and stayed that way for what felt like an eternity, the silence only eventually being broken by a coughing fit from Tomoyo. Kero flew over to pat her on the back and offer a glass of water from the nightstand, and meanwhile Sakura gave a gasp of realization.

"That's it! Stephen, when Pestilence infects a host, it then transmits itself to others, right?"

"Yes, that is right."

"Then when we cough, we're exhaling the pathogens that Pestilence has created, right?"

"I… suppose…"

"Then I have an idea."

Sakura reached down to grab her bag off the floor and dug through it until she found the card she was looking for. With a whispered incantation, she transformed her key into a staff and held the card up above her head.

"Windy Card, disperse through the air vents and find Pestilence! _Windy!_ "

The room filled with a gust of wind that blew papers off the tables and rattled the appliances. Windy's physical form appeared before Sakura and then turned to fly through the air vent. Despite the pain in her arms and hands, Sakura's grip on her staff tightened as she watched the vent stop rattling. Windy had disappeared, and there was no indication as to when it would return. Syaoran glanced at his watch, mentally calculating exactly how long they had until the nurse came around again. It wasn't long…

However, his worries abated as he felt a strong breeze from the vent once again. Syaoran stepped back, covering his face against the wind as Windy's form emerged from the vent. Between the card's hands, a cyclone held a buzzing swarm of tiny insect-like creatures trapped inside of it.

"Those are…" Tomoyo began, narrowing her eyes as she stared.

"...mosquitoes!" Stephen gasped. "The number one vector of communicable disease in the modern world! Pestilence has really stepped up its game…"

Sakura didn't wait to listen to his explanation. She had already raised her staff and cleared her throat to keep from coughing during her incantation.

" _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight and draw your power from my light! SAKURA CARD!"_

The pieces of the lit up and coalesced into the form of a card, flying over and landing in Sakura's hand. As the light from the card died down, Tomoyo sat up and put her hand over her throat.

"Wow… that's amazing! All my pain is suddenly gone."

"Mine too!" Sakura agreed. "That means everyone else must be feeling better too."

Kero slumped onto the table with a long sigh. "Thank goodness… I dunno what we would'a done if that hadn't worked."

"I had a few other ideas, but…" Syaoran began and then sighed. "I'm glad we were able to resolve it without resorting to anything illegal, though."

" _Illegal?_ " Stephen choked.

"I said I'm glad we didn't _have_ to resort to that-"

"Stephen," Tomoyo interrupted, "what other powers does the card have? Like, now that it's purified, what good can it do?"

"Yeah, come to think of it," Kero began, "spreadin' disease doesn't seem like something that can be used for good."

"Oh, but it isn't just that!" Stephen exclaimed. "It can both strengthen _and_ weaken pathogens, meaning that if someone is sick, you can use the card to help them fight the illness."

Sakura took a second look at the card, a smile passing over her face. "A card that can cure illness instead of causing it, huh?"

"But it isn't a cure-all, I'm afraid. It can only help with communicable illnesses caused by pathogens. Diseases caused by genetic defects, deficiencies, or the body's own cells can't be fought using this kind of magic. And it can only weaken the pathogen so much; the body's immune system must do the rest."

"...ah. Right." Sakura's expression slowly fell, but she still held the card to her chest. "Even so, this card has the potential to do so much good. I'm so glad… it didn't fall into the wrong hands…"

Kero and Stephen jumped over, settling on her shoulders, Kero patting her on the head and Stephen nuzzling her cheek. Sakura closed her eyes, fighting back tears of relief.

Tomoyo looked over to Syaoran. "You know, now that we figured out what the card is, I wanted to ask you something, Li-kun."

"Huh? What's that?"

"This word…" She pulled out a piece of paper from her bag and wrote on it large enough that he could read it from across the room. "...how would you write this in Chinese?"

"That?" Syaoran gave it some thought, walking over to her bedside and taking the paper from her. "The second character is the same- like this."

Tomoyo nodded and then held the paper up for Sakura to see. "Sakura-chan, is this the word that the woman in your dream wrote? You said that the second character was _dye,_ so-"

"Yeah, I think that's it!" Sakura gasped. "That's-"

" _Infection_ ," Kero read. "Of course. The woman in your dream really _was_ warnin' ya about the card! Before, with Muse, and now with this…"

"Yeah, it really is strange." Sakura crossed her arms and sat back in the bed. "I wonder how she knows… just who is she, anyway?"

"You said her magic made you feel floaty, right?" Syaoran asked. "Just like with Mizuki-sensei and Yukito-san. Whatever power she has, it must be similar to theirs. You can't let your guard down. She may appear to be on your side, but remember that Noboru-sensei _also_ claimed to be working in your interest too."

"Right…" Sakura sighed, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling. "I really do think she's trying to help me. If I could just figure out how to communicate with her, maybe I could find out who she really is and how she knows about the Warp Cards… how she knows about me…"

As the group spoke, Stephen had scurried over to the side table next to the window, turning his back to the group.

"... _it couldn't be… could it?_ "

* * *

"To hear all of that happened to Sakura-san and Daidouji-san… I'm so sorry, Fujitaka. It must have been a difficult week."

Noboru set his glass down on the table, watching the ice clink against the sides. Fujitaka sat across the table from him, offering a reassuring smile.

"I'm just relieved that all the students have made a full recovery."

"Still, it isn't right that Sakura-san should be dealing with this sort of thing! She's just a child; it isn't fair to burden her-"

"What are you talking about?" Fujitaka broke in. "It's not as though anyone can control who gets sick and who doesn't."

Noboru sighed. "Of course it isn't…"

"You seem more worried about Sakura than I am. Is everything alright at school?" Fujitaka set his own drink down, staring at the table with a sigh. "I've told Sakura before to come to me when she's facing difficulties, but she's still the kind of person who would suffer in silence rather than feeling as though she'd burdened someone she cares about. Her mother was the same way. I sometimes wonder if the doctors could have caught it earlier if Nadeshiko had just admitted she was in pain…"

"Fuji-"

"Sorry! Sorry! I shouldn't say such heavy things to you!" Fujitaka waved his hands and relaxed back into his seat. "This is meant to be a fun outing."

As he said this, the waiter came by with bowls of soup for each of them. " _Two tonkatsu ramen?_ " he asked, and Fujitaka accepted them with an expression of thanks. He began eating immediately, but Noboru stared at him from across the table. It took a moment for Fujitaka to realize it, and when he did, he set his chopsticks down.

"Giorgios? Is it too hot? Mine is fine-"

"It's not that." Noboru shook his head. "I just… I think it may not just be her mother that Sakura-san takes after."

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to know that it's okay to say what you feel around me. To talk about work, about your children, about Nadeshiko… by censoring yourself around me, you're doing just what Sakura-san is doing to you. Perhaps you don't see me as close enough of a friend to be so open with, but-"

"That's not true!"

"-it's okay. If that's the case, then I want to do everything I can to be that kind of friend for you." Noboru reached a hand across the table and smiled. "You can _trust_ me."

There was a moment of silence between them in which Noboru wasn't sure just how Fujitaka would respond. But finally, Fujitaka reached out and took hold of his hand, offering a smile in reply.

"Thank you, Giorgios. I do."

Noboru's smile widened, and he squeezed Fujitaka's hand. "I'm so glad!"

 _If only your daughter was this easy to win over._


	13. Sakura and a Lost Sheep

Welcome to _Fanfiction_ , where the writing schedule is nonexistent and the update schedule is no. But seriously, if you've stuck with us this far, we want you to know how much we appreciate you- and that we hope you continue to enjoy the story! As per the usual disclaimer, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Thank you for all your support!

* * *

 **13- Sakura and a Lost Sheep**

Naoko held up an index card and read from it, speaking loud enough that the room could hear. "Which nitrogenous base pairs with guanine?"

Yamazaki's hand shot up and he called " _cytosine!_ " at the same time that Chiharu tapped a bell on the table. Naoko sighed and set the card down.

"Yamazaki-kun, you're the one who suggested we use the bell in the first place. There's no point in making this a game if you don't use it. Chiharu-chan?"

"The answer is _cytosine_ ," Chiharu replied, and Tomoyo wrote a mark on the poster board they'd set against the side of the sofa.

"A point for Chiharu-chan, then. Nice work."

Sakura came in from the kitchen, carrying a tray of snacks. It had been a long time since all her friends had gotten together, and she felt an unexpected rush of happiness at seeing them all gathered in her living room.

"Hey, guys, my dad is working in his office down the hall, so don't get too loud."

Chiharu elbowed Yamazaki. "Hear that? You need to stop being such a know-it-all and actually follow the rules you made up."

Yamazaki sighed and shook his head. "These questions are just too easy. If we don't add more challenging material to the mix, it won't be any fun."

"We just want to learn what's going to be on the exams," Rika pointed out. "That's the point of a study session, isn't it?"

Tomoyo moved on to the next question. "What was the first mammal ever cloned?"

Syaoran's hand flew to the bell first. "A sheep," he answered, "England, 1996."

"Correct!" Tomoyo chimed, and placed the card back down on the table. She handed the cards over to Sakura to call out the next question, but before Sakura could even look at them, Yamazaki chimed in.

"But! That's not the only contribution sheep have made to the field of genetics! In fact, decades _before_ the cloning of Dolly the sheep, a genetic anomaly was found in sheep in the western United States that caused them to be born with one giant eye in the middle of their head. They were called the ' _cyclops sheep_ ,' and a scientific investigation into the cause of the sheep's strange appearance found-"

Sakura was transfixed, so Chiharu nudged her and motioned to the notecards. "Just continue with the next question. If you ignore him, he'll shut up eventually."

"But I kinda want to hear about the cyclops sheep…"

"-eventually discovered that the flowers contained a compound that interfered with the ability of the brain to split into two hemispheres. This prevented the development of two eyes as well, and led scientists to name the compound _cyclopamine-_ "

Chiharu swiped the notecards from Sakura and read off the next question. "Which law of heredity states that genes are sorted separately from one another?"

"-that a similar condition known as _cyclopeia_ can occur in humans as a result of vitamin A deficiency, and is thought to be the inspiration for one-eyed creatures in mythology, such as the _hitotsume-kozou_ and-

"Oh!" After thinking it over for a few moments, Naoko rang the bell. "Law of independent assortment!"

"Correct! A point for Naoko-chan." Tomoyo put another mark on the poster.

"-another source might have been the discovery of mammoth skulls on islands in the Aegean sea, which the ancient Greeks may have mistaken for skulls of giants with a single, massive eye socket-"

As the note cards were passed around again, the drone of Yamazaki's speech was cut off by a loud crash from the floor above. The sound of a voice yelling in a distinctly Osakan accent could be heard even from the living room, and Sakura flinched.

 _Oh no!_

"What was that?" Rika asked, looking around. "I thought your father was down here in his office-"

"Sakura? What's going on? Is everyone alright?"

Fujitaka peeked his head into the room as Sakura jumped to her feet.

"I, uh, think something fell in my room! I'm going to go make sure everything's alright!" Sakura bolted up the stairs and poked her head into her bedroom long enough to hiss " _Kero, be quiet! My friends are here!_ "

Despite her warning, she had to go back up three more times that afternoon to check on 'something that fell.' And she was _not_ happy about it.

* * *

Sakura stormed up the stairs, throwing the door open and then closing it behind her. " _Kero!_ " she hissed. "What have you been doing this afternoon?!"

"What am I doin'? I'm TRYIN' ta beat this stupid boss!" Kero was retrieving the controller from the closet where he'd thrown it. "It's just not fair, lettin' the boss freeze time like that and not lettin' the protagonists do the same."

Stephen was watching from the pile of stuffed animals on the windowsill. "You know, the pocket watch item allows you to freeze your opponents. If you were to use one of those when you see her casting, you could counteract the time freezing spell-"

"If I _had_ any, I would'a done that a long time ago!"

"Why did you not save them? You had several of them a while ago."

"W-well, I…"

Sakura clenched her fists. "Be _quiet_ , both of you! You almost ruined my study session with that stupid game of yours! What have I told you about being quiet when my friends are over?"

Kero flew over, hovering in front of her face so that he was at eye level. "It's been a long time since ya've had any friends over besides Tomoyo and the kid! I forgot, is all!"

"How could you forget? I told you this morning!"

"Well, _maybe_ you should'a checked to be sure I was payin' attention!"

"How is that MY fault? That's on you!"

"It is NOT! You know full well I get totally in the zone when I'm playin' video games!"

"In the _zone_? What does that even mean-?!"

Stephen held up a paw. "I believe he is talking about the psychological phenomenon known as flow state, a state of intense concentration characterized by a loss of reflective self-consciousness-"

Kero and Sakura turned to him with simultaneous growls. " _STAY OUT OF THIS_!"

Stephen nodded and then disappeared back into the pile of stuffed animals.

Kero crossed his arms and turned away with a huff. "What about that Warp Card ya purified last week- The Memory? You could use it to change yer friends' memories so my little outbursts never happened."

"I couldn't do that!" Sakura snapped. "It wouldn't be right! And besides, _you're_ the one who's always telling me that I can't use magic to fix all my problems. Now you want me to use magic to fix _your_ problems?"

"I'm not the one with the problem!"

Sakura sighed, turning around and crossing her arms. "You've lived here for years. You know that you have to live by the rules of this house."

Kero turned around. "Then maybe I'll just go somewhere else. I'm sure Suppi won't mind me playin' games over at his place."

"Good. Then go. In the meantime, Stephen can take your room."

"S-Sakura-sama, you told me not to interfere. Please leave me out of this-"

Kero was already gathering his things at this point. "Well, Sakura, I hope you have a nice _quiet_ night without me. Maybe we'll make it a THING!"

* * *

"...and then on top of that, Suppi said they had too many guests for me to stay over! Can ya believe that? All I wanted to do was sleep over and play a few video games!"

Yukito was listening and nodding along as he stirred the pasta sauce he was working on at the stove. "I suppose that makes sense. But didn't Sakura-chan kick you out for making a racket?"

"Sh-she didn't kick me out! I left on my own!"

"Right, right." Yukito chuckled and turned back to the stove again. "But I think you did the right thing. When Touya and I fight, we always take some time to ourselves to cool off before trying to make up."

"You and big brother fight? I thought the two of you were always all lovey-dovey."

That statement made Yukito laugh. "Are you kidding? Every relationship is going to have disagreements of some kind. Whether it's between friends or lovers or even a magical guardian and master- no one _always_ sees eye to eye."

Kero sighed, lying flat against the surface of the dinner table. "I mean… I guess I was bein' a little too difficult. Sakura's got exams comin' up in school, and she and her friends were studyin' so hard… I shouldn't have yelled at her like I did."

Yukito gave the sauce a taste test and, satisfied, turned off the burner so that he could approach the table and sit down next to Kero. "See? I told you taking some time by yourself to cool off was the best approach. It helps you see what you couldn't see in the moment when you were too angry."

Kero sat up again, nodding. "Yeah, I guess… but I still don't wanna go back until tomorrow morning. Even if I've calmed down, I dunno if Sakura has too. If I go back before she's fully cooled off, we might start arguin' again, and then I'll get all heated up and say things I don't mean."

"That's probably a good idea." Yukito reached over and patted Kero on the head. "The other me says you have a tendency to say things you don't mean when you're upset."

"What?! Easy for him to say when he never shows one single ounce of emotion _ever-_ "

"Hm, seems he was right."

Kero froze in his fighting position and then slumped back down to the table. "I'm sorry. I guess I do say things I don't mean. It's easy to get fed up when I feel like someone's invadin' my space, y'know?"

Yukito stood up and returned to the stove as he heard the pasta water beginning to boil. "It's especially hard when you live with someone. Sharing space makes even everyday things difficult to handle sometimes. Even after years of being together, you still find issues that you didn't foresee. But when you love the person, you understand how important it is to come to an understanding on those things, so that you can build a solid future together."

Kero had joined him at the counter and was tasting the pasta sauce as well. "A solid future, huh? I hadn't really thought about it, but you're right. Sakura and I are gonna be together for a long time. It's inevitable that things like this are gonna happen, isn't it? And when she grows up and gets her own place…" He paused and gasped, dropping the spoon he was holding with a clatter. "Oh no! If she and that brat get married, I'm gonna be livin' with _him_ too! Oh, that's gonna be a load of-"

"Calm down." Yukito tapped Kero on the head. "I'm sure you and Stephen will get along with Li-kun just fine."

Kero drew back, holding his head. "Stephanos… d'ya really think he's in it for the long haul?"

Yukito turned the burner down to let the pasta simmer and went to the fridge to retrieve some spinach. "The long haul? What do you mean?"

"I mean, he really hasn't made himself at home with Sakura like I did when she first started collectin' the Clow Cards. It's been almost four months since he was released, but he still feels like a guest. Sakura offered to make him a little room like she did for me, but he refused, sayin' he's comfortable in that pile of stuffed animals. I wonder if he…"

"You don't think-" Yukito began, moving the saucepan to the back burner and getting out a frying pan. "-that he's planning to betray you do you?"

"I dunno. If ya asked me that a couple'a months ago, I'd have said that's gotta be it. But now I'm not so sure. I wonder if something's gonna happen to him that he's not tellin' us."

The spinach hissed as Yukito tossed it into the frying pan and stirred it around in the oil. "Sakura-chan said that Stephen used to serve an evil sorcerer who treated him poorly, right? Maybe he's just afraid to get too close to anyone."

"Maybe…" Kero murmured. "But I wonder…"

" _Hey, I'm home._ "

The sound of the door opening drew both Kero and Yukito's attention. "Touya!" Yukito exclaimed. "Welcome back! Dinner's almost finished, so you can put your stuff down and help set the table. We'll have three for dinner tonight."

"Thanks for cooking," Touya said, passing through the kitchen on his way to the hall. He stopped, however, and took a step back, doing a double-take. "What the-? Isn't that Sakura's magical plush toy?"

"I'm not a plush toy! I'm her guardian beast! Guardian beast!"

Touya narrowed his eyes. "...I liked you better when you were pretending to be a stuffed animal around me."

"Well, I _didn't_ like you better then because I've never liked you at all-!"

Yukito just laughed. It was going to be an eventful evening, no doubt.

* * *

Kero spent the night on the couch in Touya and Yukito's living room but left in the early hours of the morning so that he could be back in Sakura's room by the time she woke up. She usually slept late on Sundays, but even so, he wanted to be sure he was there to apologize as soon as she woke up. He snuck in through the window and closed it softly behind him, then found a comfortable spot at the foot of Sakura's bed and curled up. Sakura and Stephen were both sound asleep, and while Kero had planned to stay awake long enough to greet them, he found himself drifting off too.

The next thing Kero knew, he heard Sakura stirring, and she shifted in bed, pulling her legs over the side and accidentally tossing Kero onto the floor. Kero bounced against the floor and pulled himself up again with a growl. "Hey, _watch it-_ " he hissed before realizing what he was saying. "I-I mean… I know you didn't see me there, but try to be a little more careful."

Sakura yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Stephen…?" she murmured. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Sakura-sama!" Stephen peeked his head out of the pile of stuffed animals. "Has Kerberos returned from his night of gaming with Suppi Spinel-sama?"

Kero sighed and waved his hand. "Yeah, I'm here. I was actually hangin' out with Yuki-bunny and big brother since Suppi was busy. They gave me some advice, and-"

While Kero was speaking, Sakura walked across the room to her desk and opened up the drawer. "Well, he's not here. I guess he's still sulking."

"What the-?!" Kero stiffened. "I'm here to apologize! Ya don't gotta add insult to injury by pretending I'm not even here-"

"Perhaps he stayed for breakfast," Stephen suggested, hopping up onto the desk. "Nakuruby texted me a photograph a few days ago of her newly perfected peppermint pancakes with hot fudge sauce. Kerberos could never resist such a temptation."

"Aw, I get it, I get it!" Kero flew over to the desk. "Ignore me, taunt me with delicious food, I get it all! What I did yesterday was outta line and I apologize for it-"

"No wonder he'd stay for breakfast," Sakura groaned. "I hate to think that he's being rewarded for throwing a temper tantrum, though."

"Then perhaps you will have to cook something much more delicious for us to enjoy without him."

Kero clenched his fists. "Oooooo-kay! I get it, I get it! You're mad! But I'm apologizin'! What more d'ya want from me-?!" He flew forward to grab hold of Sakura's hand, but when his paws reached her skin, he found himself phasing completely through her and plummeting down to the floor below. " _Wh-OAH!_ What the-?! _"_

"Come on, Stephen. You can help me cook- I'm sure Dad would appreciate it after his all-nighter last night. Let's have something nice ready for him when he wakes up later." Sakura picked up Stephen and carried him with her downstairs, stepping on top of Kero as she did so. He flinched, but her foot phased right through him, and she seemed completely unaware that she'd even stepped on him. Kero sat up and watched her as she disappeared through the doorway and down the hall.

"...what in the world is goin' on?" Kero murmured. "It's like I'm not even here. They can't see me or hear me or even touch me…" He stiffened and looked back and forth. "Hold on a sec! This ain't a dream, is it? I've gotta wake up- OW!"

He'd started pulling at his face and pinching his sides, and finally couldn't handle it anymore. Defeated, he slumped to the floor and sighed.

"Well, it's not a dream. They can't see me or hear me or touch me. It's like I don't even exist. Somethin' isn't right here. I wonder…"

He closed his eyes, tuning himself into the magical energy of the space. It was rare that he tried to sense things when Sakura was around, since Sakura's powerful magic made it difficult to notice anything else. But his recent experience with Warp Cards had given him enough of a sense for their magical signature that he was able to search for them. He could feel something of that nature scurrying around him, but it was so faint that he couldn't tell exactly where it was.

"Okay, Warp Card, I know you're around here somewhere. Show yourself before I gotta hunt you down!"

There was no noticeable response. Kero sighed and flew over to the desk, hovering over Sakura's cell phone.

"Maybe if she can't hear me talk, I can at least leave her a message that-" His voice cut off as he fumbled to press the power button. His paws were passing right through it, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the phone to turn on. "Oh, you've GOT to be kiddin' me!"

There was a noise behind him that sounded almost like a broken laugh, and Kero twirled around to catch a faint glimpse of a white object disappearing behind the closet door. He broke into a grin, hopping back down to the floor and tiptoeing over to the closet.

"I've got you now…"

As he tugged on the closet door, there was a screech and the creature he'd seen earlier bolted out into Sakura's room. It jumped onto the bed and turned to stare down at Kero, its piercing gaze resting on him even through the thick wool that obscured its face. The creature was not much bigger than Kero himself was, but its form surprised him.

"A sheep? What the hell-?"

The sheep bleated again and took off toward the hallway, jumping off the end of Sakura's bed and through the doorway. Kero scrambled after it, yelling as he ran.

"You get back here! I'm not lettin' you get away!"

The sheep was standing at the edge of the stairs, and it tossed a glance back at Kero before hopping on down one at a time. Kero flew after it, and once it saw that he could fly, it started to jump faster and seemed to tumble down the stairs. It landed with a crash at the foot of the staircase, knocking over a stack of books that Fujitaka had placed to be taken up to his room. From the kitchen, Kero heard Sakura's voice.

"Dad? What was that?" She appeared in the hallway, approaching the books in surprise. The sheep had already scurried off to the living room, but Sakura seemed to pick up on the energy that it had left behind. "Stephen? Come here. Something weird knocked over these books…"

Kero tried to help prop up the books, hoping that they could see what he was doing- but just like before with the phone, he couldn't get enough of a grip on it to move it. His paws phased through the cover. Sakura, meanwhile, pulled away the book he was trying to move and stacked it back up.

"Do you sense the energy of a Warp Card, Sakura-sama?"

"I do, but it feels kind of weird."

"Weird, you say? How so? I do not sense anything weird about it myself, it just seems… faint."

Sakura nodded. "Exactly. It's faint, but not in the way that it is when it's a card that affects a large area. This one's concentrated, but it feels like it's masking its presence somehow-" She stopped herself abruptly and shot to her feet. "Oh, the stove!"

As Sakura ran back into the kitchen, Stephen continued to stack the books until they were all perfectly arranged again. Kero watched, thinking over the situation. He voiced his thoughts out loud, hoping that perhaps Stephen would hear him somehow, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"I can't seem to interact with anything physical, so there's no way for me to get a message across to you guys. Unless… that card definitely knocked over the books, and it seemed to be able to see me. Maybe there's some way I can _use_ the card to get a message across…" Kero grinned and approached Stephen, leaning in and pointing a finger right at his muzzle. "Hah! I don't need your useless advice, see? I can do this all on my own-!"

"Stephen, can you taste test this batter for me?" Sakura's voice called from the kitchen, and Stephen turned to chirp a pleasant reply before scurrying back to her side. Kero clenched his fists in frustration.

"But _I'm_ the one who always gets to taste the batter!" He spun on his heels toward the living room and flew through the doorway. "This is all your fault, Warp Card! Show yourself before the great Kerberos has to weed you out!"

There was movement from one of the plants near the window, and the sheep creature stuck its head out from between the leaves. It let out a little bleat and then dashed toward the other side of the room, narrowly avoiding Kero as it made a beeline for the doorway. Kero flew up to get a better view.

"So, ya wanna play cat and mouse, eh? Then let's make this a little more _interesting_ -!"

As he said this, he began to glow and covered himself with his wings to change into his true form. The full-size Kerberos landed with all four paws on the floor and glared over at the sheep creature that was beginning to shake in fright.

"Aha!" Kerberos said, his lips turning up into a grin that showed off his teeth. "Not so high and mighty now, are you, Warp Card?"

The sheep bleated in terror and turned tail to run back into the hall. Kerberos followed it, trying in vain to corner it as it dodged past him and scurried under his paws to get back into the kitchen. As Kerberos followed it, he found himself instinctively being careful to keep his wings from hitting any of the pictures on the walls or items on the tables- that was, until he remembered what was going on.

"That's right- being careful is only going to slow me down. I can't actually destroy anything." He paused, the realization really sinking in. "Hah! I can't destroy anything! I can do anything I want! Noooo consequences!"

He began to rampage through the kitchen after the card, stumbling through the table and the counter as the creature hopped over the countertops. It hit dishes and utensils, knocking them aside and sending them tumbling onto the floor. The rice cooker fell, hanging by the cord for a moment before crashing down, and several plates were broken in the aftermath.

Kerberos took a step back as he watched a horrified Sakura and Stephen scrambling to figure out what was going on.

"I may not be able to break anything…" he murmured, "but that thing sure can. I can't just chase it around like this. There's got to be some other way."

Meanwhile, Sakura and Stephen were trading ideas back and forth as Sakura swept the broken pieces of plates into the dustpan Stephen was holding. "...I sensed the card, but I didn't see anything. What card could have done something like this?"

"I have a few ideas as to what it might be, but I would be interested in hearing your opinion, Sakura-sama."

"W-well, I was thinking…" Sakura took the dustpan from Stephen and carried it over to the trash. "...this seems like what I'd expect from the Shade card."

"Yes! Shade! My thoughts as well!"

Kerberos glanced at the hallway and frowned. "Shade, huh? That means, like, a ghost, right? That thing doesn't strike me as being very ghostlike, but if they can't see it…" He stopped and shook his head. "Oh, who cares what it is? That thing is going to ruin this whole place if I'm not careful about how I handle it! I wonder…"

He stepped back out into the hallway and transformed back into his small form. He could hear Sakura and Stephen discussing the properties of the Shade card and ways that they could corner it, so he stayed close by and tuned in to make sure he wasn't doing anything that could make the situation worse.

"...what I can't figure out is why it would attack here, where there are so few people. Shade's greatest power is fear. It causes these strange events in order to plants seeds of mass panic, making it impossible for populations to fight back against invaders. Knocking things off shelves like this doesn't seem so menacing."

"It might be trying to catch us off guard before escalating its violence," Sakura murmured. "We've got to do something about this before Dad wakes up. What is Shade's physical form? What's the best way to corner it?"

"Shade's physical form appears as a mist-like substance that coalesces in dark corners. It is drawn to dark places, so perhaps we can lure it in by creating a darkroom."

"We could try luring it into the basement."

"Oh! The basement! You are truly a genius, Sakura-sama-"

Kero turned around and headed for the hallway again, his mind spinning. "A dark mist…?" he murmured to himself. "They're barkin' up the wrong tree. That's not what this card is at all. And if they go into the basement, there's no way they're gonna find it either. I've _got_ to get control of it somehow…"

His ears perked up as he heard the sound of a low bleat from upstairs. Kero flew over to the staircase and looked up to see the sheep creature staring down at him from above. It turned to run and he followed after it with a determined yell.

"Not so fast!"

The sheep scrambled away, but Kero chased it down the hall to where the doors were all closed. It made a wide circle and tried to squeeze by Kero, but he was fast enough this time to dive for it and land squarely in the thick wool on the sheep's back. The sheep creature let out a loud yelp and began to buck, but Kero kept his paws firmly in the wool, determined not to let go.

"I've played too many rodeo video games to be thrown off by a little sheep, ya hear! Now you're gonna do what I tell ya!"

The sheep creature began to run down the hall in a straight line, but Kero jerked at the wool in his right paw and it veered to the right. A jerk on the left caused it to turn in a circle and bank into a sharp left turn. It took some getting used to, but Kero finally managed to establish a system of directing the creature around. It still kicked and bucked, but he didn't let go, and instead used that energy to push both of them forward.

"Now all we gotta do is figure out some way to get a message across to Sakura. I can't use you to write on the phone or a piece of paper, but maybe there's another way."

Kero steered the sheep creature down the stairs and back into the kitchen, where Sakura had summoned her staff and was examining both The Dark and The Shadow, seemingly considering which to call upon in helping her trap the card. Not wanting her to call on a Sakura Card for no reason, Kero jumped into action.

He directed the sheep creature up onto the countertop again, making a beeline for the bowl of pancake batter that Sakura had set aside. His heart hurt at the idea of wasting any kind of delicious food, but he knew it was his best bet if he wanted to get a message across. With his paws still firmly grasping the wool, he directed the creature over to the side of the bowl and tipped it over, sending the contents splashing into a puddle on the floor.

The crash sent Sakura to her feet, and she dashed over to see what had happened. She was halfway through yelling " _the pancake batter-_!" by the time she noticed something leaving imprints in the spill. Kero was directing the creature, jumping in and out to write the characters of his own name for Sakura to see. It didn't look pretty, but he hoped it was at least recognizable.

"It seems to be writing something!" Stephen exclaimed, jumping onto Sakura's shoulder. "Ke… ke… co..."

" _Kero_!" Sakura gasped. "It's Kero-chan!"

"YES!" Kero yelled, pumping one fist into the air. He let go of the wool to do so, however, and the sheep creature took the chance to rear up and throw him off. He landed on the floor next to the pancake batter, and the creature took off back toward the hallway.

"Kero-chan, is it you who's been knocking things over?" Sakura asked, but then paused. "If he hasn't said anything to us, then maybe…"

Stephen tugged on Sakura's sleeve. "Sakura-sama, we've been wrong about this the whole time! It is not the Shade card at all- it is the _Nobody_!"

"The Nobody…" Sakura repeated, closing her eyes. "That's the card that… can turn people invisible and immaterial."

"Yes. Just as the hero Odysseus escaped the wrath of the cyclops by claiming his name was 'Nobody,' the card erases a person's ability to affect the world around them. That must be why we couldn't find Kerberos this morning. He's probably been trying to contact us this whole time."

"Impossible, huh?" Sakura flipped through her cards, her eyes lighting up as she found the one she was looking for. "Let's try this- _Illusion!_ Project the image of Kero-chan so that he can communicate with us! ILLUSION!"

Kero watched as Illusion appeared in front of him, taking his shape and appearance. He tilted his head, and Illusion did the same; he raised one paw and Illusion copied his movements.

"Hey, not bad!" he exclaimed. "Sharp thinkin', Sakura!"

Stephen, watching from Sakura's shoulder, frowned. "It seems that Illusion can copy his mouth movements, but cannot actually replicate his speech. I cannot hear what he is saying."

"Me neither." Sakura shook her head. "Kero-chan, you're just going to have to nod yes or no right now until we can purify the card and get you back to normal, okay?"

It was frustrating, sure, but the fact that he could communicate _at all_ was at least a step in the right direction. Kero nodded. "Okay."

"So, Kerberos, how did you manage to leave the message in the- ah, no, that is not a yes or no question." Stephen shook his head. "What I mean is, are you able to see and interact with the card?"

Kero nodded yes.

"Sakura-sama and I are unable to see the card, but perhaps we can use Kerberos as a link in order to trap it."

"Trap it?" Sakura asked. "How exactly? Is there something the card is weak against?"

"Not necessarily. It takes the form of a tiny sheep, fast and maneuverable but relatively unintelligent. Just like a real sheep, it can be herded."

" _Or_ mutton busted!" Kero broke in, though he sighed, remembering that they couldn't hear him, and nodded his head for Illusion to mimic. "Yeah, I'll do it."

"We'll need somewhere to trap it," Sakura said, glancing down at her cards again. "I could get Wood to make an enclosure in the hallway, and Kero could drive the card into it. Then the card would be trapped and I could purify it."

"Yeah!" Kero nodded his head and flew up to Sakura, watching as Illusion did the same. It felt a little odd that Sakura was looking at Illusion and not him, but he knew he couldn't fault her for that. The sooner they could capture this card, the sooner things would be back to normal- and he could apologize properly.

Sakura called off Illusion for the moment as she and Wood worked on developing an enclosure near the entryway and Kero scurried off to find where the sheep creature was hiding. He kept his ears perked up for any little noise, and finally heard a soft bleat from behind the door of Fujitaka's office. The sheep peeked its head out from behind the door and gave a bleat of surprise at the sight of Kero before it ducked back into the room.

"Bingo! There you are, ya little troublemaker!" Kero flew after it with a yelled "you're not gettin' away this time!" and the sheep made a circle in the small office space before diving back out into the hallway and veering left toward the living room.

Kero froze momentarily, realizing he might not be able to keep it in the hallway at this rate, but it hit an invisible barrier at the door frame and was knocked back.

"That's…" Kero gasped as a familiar symbol appeared over the door. "...The Lock! Man, Sakura really thought of everything!"

Realizing the position it was in, the sheep creature continued down the hall and turned the corner to the entryway. It saw Wood's enclosure and paused for a moment, and Wood took that opportunity to pounce, sending branches out to tangle the creature up and prevent further escape. The sheep creature flailed against Wood's grip, but it couldn't break free of the thick vines that held it steady.

"I think you've got it, Sakura-sama!" Stephen exclaimed. "Now!"

Sakura had her staff ready. " _Card by evil's hand designed, reveal your power and form confined, reject the hold of evil's blight, and draw your power from my light! SAKURA CARD!"_

And with that, the sheep creature coalesced into card form and drifted over to land in Sakura's hand. The vines in the hall disappeared, and both The Wood and The Lock floated over to examine the new card Sakura was holding. Kero let out a sigh and dropped to the floor in relief.

"Ugh, thank goodness that's over. I thought I was gonna go crazy, not bein' able to do anything…"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura clutched the cards close to her chest and ran to Kero's side, dropping down onto the floor so that she could pull him into the embrace. "I was really worried this morning when I thought you hadn't come back! I shouldn't have yelled at you like I did yesterday- I'm sorry."

Kero pulled from her grip so that he could look at her properly. " _You're_ sorry? I'm the one who should be sorry. You were right, I totally messed up your study session with your friends. And suggestin' that you use The Memory to mess with their memories… ouch, I can't even begin to tell ya how wrong that is. You already knew. Knowin' that you'd never do somethin' like that makes me proud of ya… and embarrassed for even sayin' something like that myself. Yue was right, I _do_ say stuff I don't mean when I get angry."

Sakura smiled. "Even so, it's not right of me to keep you cooped up in that room all the time and expect you to play the perfect stuffed toy routine. You're a real creature with real emotions, and you deserve to live your own life. I promise, from now on, I'll better communicate with you about my plans so that you can make plans of your own. Maybe next time you and Stephen can go hang out with Spinel while my friends are over."

"M-me?" Stephen's voice squeaked from behind them. "I-I would love to join them, but I do not wish to impose…"

Kero jumped up and waved over Sakura's shoulder. "Aw, don't worry about that, buddy! We'd love to have ya!" He paused and leaned closer to whisper in Sakura's ear. "Speakin' of which, I've got somethin' I wanna talk to you about."

"Oh?" Sakura whispered back. "Sure. What is it?"

"I have an idea…"

* * *

The next day after school, Sakura and Tomoyo both arrived at the Kinomoto's house in one of the Daidouji family's cars. Kero and Stephen met them at the door, and Stephen was surprised to see them carrying a massive box.

"Sakura-sama… Tomoyo-sama… what is _that_? It looks very heavy."

The two girls set the box down on the step of the entry hall, taking a moment to catch their breath. "Y-yeah, no kidding…" Sakura murmured. "But now that we're inside and the bodyguards aren't looking- _Power!_ "

She held out the card, and The Power appeared in front of them with an expectant smile. Immediately it noticed the box and hoisted the box over its head with one hand.

"Power, will you take that box up to my room?" Sakura asked. "And once you get there, I'd like your help in unloading it."

Power gave an eager salute with its free hand and turned to carry the box toward the staircase. Stephen, still confused, looked back and forth between Tomoyo and Sakura.

"Is this some new piece of technology you are installing? Why didn't you tell me, Sakura-sama?"

Tomoyo giggled. "It's not exactly _new_ technology, but I think that's what's so good about it."

"And we didn't want to tell you because it's a surprise," Sakura added. "Come on upstairs and see for yourself."

"Oh… okay."

Stephen rode on Tomoyo's shoulder as the group headed up the stairs and down the hall to Sakura's room. He could see Kero looking back at him and grinning, but he had no idea what it was all about. When they finally arrived in the room, however, they found that Power had already unloaded the largest object from the box and was looking up at Sakura with a patient smile, ready for instructions on where to put it.

"That's…" Stephen gasped as he got a good look at it. "...a dollhouse?"

Sakura ran over to the bench by the windowsill and began rearranging the stuffed animals to make room for the dollhouse. "Here, let's put it by the window."

"The furniture is still in the box," Tomoyo said, pointing it out to Stephen. "You'll have to tell us how you'd like your rooms decorated."

" _M-my_ rooms?"

Sakura and Power had gotten the dollhouse situated on the bench, and Sakura turned and gestured to it. "This is for you, Stephen- you and Kero-chan. It was his idea to start out with.

Stephen looked over at Kero. "Your idea?"

Kero flew over, grabbing one of Stephen's paws. "I was talkin' with Yuki-bunny the other night and realized that you'd never really made yourself comfortable here. It didn't feel fair that I had my own little room and you just slept on a pile'a plushies, y'know? So I had Sakura ask Tomoyo if she could use her toy company connections to get us somethin' that both of us could use."

"This is an old prototype from my mother's company," Tomoyo added as she began digging into the box and pulling out miniature furniture. "It never went into production, but Mother kept one for me. I used to play with this all the time when I was little, but I don't use it anymore. So when Sakura-chan asked about a space for you two, I thought this would be the perfect use for it."

Stephen took a step back, placing his paws over his mouth. "I… I… do not know what to say… you are all already doing so much for me by allowing me to stay here and taking care of me, I can't just accept something like this-"

"Aw, don't give us that!" Kero brought his paw down on the top of Stephen's head. "You're one of us now! Warp Neon might'a made you feel like you were imposin' on the world by just existin', but that was all part of the lies he used to keep ya under control. Now that you're with us, you're part of the family. And family takes care of each other. Got it?"

"But I… I have not taken care of you the way I should have-"

"And y'know what else? Family doesn't keep score." Kero crossed his arms and grinned. "We help each other 'cause we care about each other, not to pay each other back for anything. So don't feel guilty, got it?"

Sakura approached Stephen and reached her hands out for him to stand on. "Kero-chan is right. We're doing this because we care about you and want you to be happy. This is your home now. It should feel like home."

Stephen kept one paw over his mouth as he choked back tears. "Sakura-sama… Kerberos… I always wanted a family… but I never actually thought I'd…"

"Aw, don't get all choked up!" Kero tugged on Stephen's arm. "Let's furnish this baby! It's time to put all those interior design shows we've been watchin' to good use!"

Stephen sniffled and nodded. "We can be like… what were they called… the _Real-Estate Brothers_?"

Kero just laughed. "Yeah, somethin' like that."

Sakura and Tomoyo looked at one another and smiled. "I think he likes it," Tomoyo commented, and Sakura nodded.

"I think so too."


End file.
